Broken Melodies
by Rythixx
Summary: They broke him, and chased him away from the few that cared. And into the hands of one of their biggest enemies. Now he has the power to make them pay dearly. The only question that remains is, will he? Naruto Harem. SemiDark Super Naruto.Don't own Naruto
1. Insanity of Oto

Broken Melodies.

Ch.1: The Insanity of Oto

A hauntingly sweet melody floated over the training ground, it's docile tones swirling around the occupants of the training ground gently. In the middle of said training ground a solitary figure let loose the melody from the violin he was playing masterfully. He stood roughly five foot six, with spiky blonde hair with the bit that passed his shoulders gathered in a spiky pony tail. The figure was clad in a loose, long sleeved, dark crimson gi, with black hakama pants. His feet where clad in black boots that where plated with strips of metal, their color identical to his gi. A dark grey obi, and a slightly lighter grey scarf that hung down his back ending at the small of his back completed his outfit. His blue eyes watched on in silence as another figure danced in front of him.

She moved along with the grace of a goddess to the melody he provided. In her hands two small metal fans glinted in the bright sunlight. The razor sharp metal blades in the spines of the black and crimson fans taking nothing away from their aesthetic beauty. Her soft dance flowed as if the air itself bent to her will. Soft and controlled movements hiding nothing of the fact that those same movements could be used to end a life in a heart beat. Her flaming red hair, that was adorned with jet black streaks cascaded down her back. A crimson kimono clung tightly to her body. A body that could only be described as perfection in and of itself. Red eyes, a pair of furry fox ears, and the nine majestic tails dancing along with her only added to her other worldly beauty.

He was, Namikaze Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. Although to the rest of the Shinobi nations he was known by only one moniker: Hakkyou no Oto, The Insanity of Sound. A genjutsu user of the greatest repute, supposedly skilled enough to the point that just his raw aura could drive shinobi into a mental breakdown. The fear of falling victim to his horrible illusions turning hardened veterans into blithering cowards. Rumored to possess physical strength surpassing that of Tsunade of the Sannin when the legendary kunochi was still in her prime. He was Otogakure's enigma and protector, he was also Konohagakure's biggest mistake.

She was the Kyuubi no Kitsune, former queen of demons, and former prisoner of Naruto. Naruto's best friend and closest companion. His catalyst for sanity, his reason for living, and ever since he was taken from Konoha, his only source of personal warmth.

Naruto's thoughts where interrupted when a chuunin messenger hesitantly approached. Naruto leveled the man with a glare laced with killer intent and dark emotions. The chuunin cringed as the Kyuubi leveled him with a similar glare for bothering the ex-jailer and ex- prisoner. She hated when they did this. Interrupting her time with _**her**_ Naruto, yes she would admit it, she loved her container. It had all started five years ago, when her, at that time seven year old container, went through the single worst attack that had ever been carried out on him. She had dragged him into his mindscape as a means of giving him merciful unconsciousness. Her feelings of attachment started after she had told him who she was and that she was the reason his life was such a nightmare. Instead of resenting her he simply walked inside the cage and sat next to her and with a simple 'I forgive you' they talked.

It was that incident that sparked their friendship, with Naruto often keeping her company and the Kyuubi training the boy in anything she thought would be of use. Eventually they worked out a compromise that Naruto would become a full fledged demon containing 8 tails worth of her power while she gained a body via use of a modified Edo Tensei, and would get one tail worth of her power. For her it was a win/win situation, she received freedom and a chance to be with the one she loved. She was shaken from her thought when the chuunin was finally able to get a grip on his own fear and spoke. " N-N-Naruto-s-sama. Orochimaru-sama w-would like to s-s-see you." with that said the chuunin fled the training ground as if the shinigami himself where chasing him.

" Should we go Naruto-kun?" Her only answer was a small nod. She sighed to herself those bastards in Konoha would pay for taking away the bundle of sunshine he used to be.

* * *

In the dim light of his office Orochimaru sat waiting for his esteemed subordinate to arrive. He used the term subordinate very lightly, truth be told Naruto was more of a partner than he was a follower. This fact, Orochimaru did not like. Yet, there was very little he could do, unlike many of the more foolish members of Otogakure, that repeatedly tried to use the boy as a stepping stone to some notoriety and where quickly silenced. Orochimaru knew damn well that Naruto was as strong as the rumors said he was. That, if he wanted to Naruto could walk out the gates and there was very little anyone could do about it, even Orochimaru himself. Truth be told, Orochimaru would be hard pressed to willingly bring himself to fight Naruto. The boy was easily on an equal level, yet no one had ever seen him go all out, a thought that frightened the snake sannin to no end. The only thing that kept Naruto from either leaving, or taking over Oto was that he just didn't care. The boy had an extreme lack of motivation and ambition. The events that led him to Oto had destroyed the boy's once fiery spirit. He agreed to serve under Orochimaru simply because Orochimaru left him the hell alone. Sure he would do a mission from time to time, but only when the mission was of the utmost importance to the village, if only to protect the village that gave him such a peaceful life style. Other than that Naruto was left to his own training and devices so long as he agreed to protect the village should it be attacked. That was how the blond liked it, and so long as he was content, Orochimaru could rest assured that Naruto was no threat. Though that didn't mean Orochimaru wouldn't be weary around him.

Orochimaru's thoughts where cut off when the door to his office creaked open and the subject of his thoughts walked inside, Kyuubi trailing right behind him. After motioning them into the seats in front his desk Orochimaru pushed a letter towards Naruto. They boy began to quietly read, with the Kyuubi peeking over his shoulder. "Naruto-kun that letter was sent to us a few days ago. It would seem that this young lady's village in wave country is being abused, and taken advantage off by the infamous shipping magnate Gato. Her father is a local bridge builder who is working on a project that would effectively destroy Gato's monopoly as such she has asked for protection from Gato's henchmen. Apparently her father has already hired some ninja from another village, but she's afraid that will only prompt Gato to be more aggressive in his actions. As such I decided to send you and two others to help." Kyuubi's eyes narrowed on the snake sannin.

"You're not one to do charity Orochimaru. What is the real reason you're sending us to Wave."

"Gato's fortune has earned the man a large army of mercenaries in addition to a moderate sized army of missing nin. There are rumors that mist, and rain have approached the man with business propositions for alliances and such. Needless to say this could be very bothersome for us. The real objective for you is the elimination of Gato and his forces. However, should some of them be able to be recruited by all means do so. This way we get what we need, and in protecting this country we up are status with other potential clients." Orochimaru stated calmly.

"I accept." Was the calm, cold answer of Naruto.

"Your teammates should be waiting for you at the gate." Naruto and Kyuubi got up to leave, but when Naruto got to the door Orochimaru's voice rang out again. " You should know. The ninja's the bridge builder hired are from Konoha. Team 7 under Hatake Kakashi, Team 8 under Yuuhi Kurenai, and Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko." Without turning to acknowledge Orochimaru Naruto answered.

"Acknowledged."

* * *

Tayuya sat by the gate to north gate of Oto bored out of her mind. According to Orochimaru-sama she was supposed to be going on a mission to wave country today. She had arrived a few minutes ago with her friend Kin. Supposedly the 'Insanity of Oto' was going to be their team leader. She was quite familiar with Naruto, she found him to be a decent enough guy. He was perhaps a little to quiet, but at least he wasn't a loud mouth. The two would occasionally hang out together playing the occasional duet between her flute and his violin. All and all Tayuya wouldn't mind spending more time with him, though she'd be damned if she would ever admit it. Kin on the other hand wouldn't shut the hell up about the guy. She had been sporting a huge crush on him ever since he saved her from one of the darker aspects of being a kunochi of Oto. She would occasionally complain about the rarity of actually finding the guy, something that Tayuya could agree with seeing as she was very interested in the well known enigma.

Naruto arrived at the gate to find Tsuchi Kin and Tayuya waiting at the gates for him. With only a nod of acknowledgement he walked past them and out the gate, Kyuubi following him dutifully. Kyuubi for her part was irritated with Orochimaru's choice of partners for the mission. She could easily see the infatuation that both girls held for her Naruto. Not that it was all that difficult to see in Kin. Really she didn't mind sharing her Naruto, to be quite honest she was almost sure that she'd have to if only because she wasn't sure it was possible for her alone to give Naruto the affection needed to heal the scars that Konoha had bestowed upon him. However just because she was willing to share didn't mean she wasn't going to be discreet about it. Her Naruto only deserved the best, girls that were going to do their part in helping him to heal and not cause more damage. For if they hurt her Naruto, they would have to deal with the rage of a former demon lord.

* * *

Anko Mitarashi was pissed, the day had started out so freaking promising to. Ibiki had a handle on the interrogations for the day, and she didn't have any missions. She was going to the hot springs for some down time when she had been summoned to the Hokage's office. Apparently Kakashi and his brats had been sent on a C-rank mission earlier and the old codger that they where protecting had lied about the danger on the mission. Now she along with Kurenai and her brats had to go reinforce the cyclops and his kiddies, including that little prick Uchiha. The little bastard that was directly responsible for one of the biggest lights in her life being snuffed out in front of her and being taken by the one man she despised more than anyone.

When they had caught up to Kakashi's gakis they had just barely managed to survive a run in with Zabuza Momochi. Kakashi had passed out and the group was making it towards the old man's home when they found themselves here, standing in front of six rain missing nin. The two sides where simply staring at each other, Anko had quietly prepared for a Senaijashu (Hidden snake hand) when music drifted down onto the road. The occupants of the road looked up to see the sky turn blood red as ashen grey clouds swirled around them. A figure that made every Konoha nin freeze appeared behind the missing nin. The Kyuubi stood in all it's malevolent glory, the only difference between it and the memories of the leaf jounin was that this Kyuubi was covered in malevolent flames.

The flaming Kyuubi let loose a fearsome roar that had the genin and the old man laying on the floor tears pouring out of their eyes. Anko, Kurenai, and the six rain missing nin where brought to their knees by the raw aura of malevolence and despair. Even the unconscious Kakashi was rolling around and crying out in his sleep at the utter misery produced by the beast. The leaf nin then bore witness to the flaming demon lord snapping the missing nin into it's jaws. Their screams for mercy and assistance made even the coldest blood curdle. After the demon fox had swallowed the missing nin, it leveled what could only be considered a hateful glare at the leaf nin. It then let loose another soul shattering roar. By now everyone in the clearing was sobbing.. The fox lunged at them, and is it flew towards them the soft melody from before returned and instantly the fox disappeared, the sky cleared and the clouds returned to normal. Where the sum of their nightmares once stood lay the twitching bodies of the missing nin, Over which stood four unidentified nins.

" Did you see them crying like little fucking kids? Haha! That was so god damn hilarious!" Cried out a redhead dressed in green cargo pants, a black sleeveless shirt, a cap and a purple rope belt.

" Tayuya leave them alone. The first time you where caught in one of his techniques you didn't do any better." came the voice of a black haired girl that was dressed in black and white camouflage pants with a black tee shirt and a black vest.

" Shut up Kin!" snapped the girl known as Tayuya.

" Both of you be quiet. I thought it was quite a flattering display, the unbridled fear on their faces serves as quite the ego boost." came the voice of a second red head as she walked around the quivering bodies of the missing nin, slitting their throats with a bladed fan.

" Enough, all of you." came a cold tone. The Konoha nin that where finally coming around to the fact that they where in a genjutsu looked up to see a face that drew gasp from three of them. Naruto turned to the kneeling forms of the leaf nin. " Anko-chan, Kurenai-chan, Hinata-chan, it's…been awhile." Through teary eyes Anko was the first one to choke out a reply of disbelief.

" Naruto-kun?"

* * *

**Introducing another story. I know alot of you maybe put off that I'm extending myself even more. But to tell you the truth, I'm a very impulsive writer, once an idea gets in my head I have to wrtie it before I can focus on any other story. Hence why I've been known to update some stories multiple times in a week yet ignore the others. Any way I hope you find this one interesting. It'll be like WTCH in that it'll have smaller chapters, and the events leading up to the story will be explained via flashbacks throughout the story. Well I've talked enough. Hope you enjoyed it. Take care**


	2. Consequences of Misconceptions

Broken Melodies

Ch. 2: The Consequences of Misconceptions.

Silence reigned in the area inhabited by the group. For the leaf nin, it was due to the shock of finding someone they had never expected to see again. Even Kakashi who had been awoken due to the screams of the missing nin and pulled himself to sit up, was shaken at the encounter. Three pairs of eyes where flooded with tears, tears that had nothing to do with the genjutsu they had went through. For the sound nin the silence was due to confusion.

" Hey Naruto how do you know these cry babies?" came the gruff shout of Tayuya.

" Friends…sort of." came the emotionless drone of Naruto.

" I thought all the leafs hated you?" asked Tayuya bluntly, ignoring the massive flinch that affected the ninja from Konoha.

" Tayuya! Have some damn tact will you?!" shouted Kin.

" Oh shut up Kin. If they hate him, they hate him. You think he's not smart enough to realize they hate him. So how about it Naruto."

" They do." came the instant reply from Naruto.

" That's not true Naruto!" came the indignant cry of Hinata. The events that drove her best friend away serving as a catalyst in her transformation from timid little girl to a kunochi who had the fierceness of Anko yet the calm of Kurenai.

"It isn't?" Naruto's monotonous tone not containing a single sliver of genuine curiosity. Before anyone could answer, Kakashi decided to cut in.

" As unexpected as this reunion is I would really like to know what your doing here Naruto."

" Mission."

" Care to explain?" seeing as Naruto was through talking for the moment Kyuubi explained.

" The old man there is named Tazuna? Correct?"

" H-h-hai." stammered the terrified old man.

" Don't be scared old timer, your daughter sent out a letter to Otogakure asking for help. We were sent here to protect your village from this Gato I've heard so much about."

" Y-you're serious? You're going to help us?"

" Yes." came the cold voice of Naruto. Surprising even himself Tazuna shook off the fear he once felt and ran towards the sound shinobi. He scooped up a visibly shocked Kyuubi in a hug, before throwing himself on the ground in front of Naruto, bowing deeply.

" Thank you! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this will mean to everyone! You are a god send, an angel, a blessing, a-"

" Stop that." Naruto stated. Tazuna got up off the ground visibly embarrassed at losing himself to his joy.

" So Oto is going to do something for free? That's kind of hard to believe." Stated Kakashi suspiciously.

" That's what I said." drawled on Kyuubi. " But believe it or not that's why we're here. In fact we sympathize with the people of wave so much, we plan on eliminating Gato all together." Kyuubi finished nonchalantly. Tazuna's eyes widened even further and it took all his will power not to fall to his knees again.

" You people truly are a god send, the guardian angels of wave."

" We're no angels Tazuna-san." stated Naruto.

" Far from it actually." snickered Kyuubi.

"O.k.? What would your name be miss?" asked Kakashi with an eye brow raised in Kyuubi's direction.

" Who me? Well you can call me Kyu, but if you want my full name it would be the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The subject of your nightmares, the would be queen of demons, and any other little nickname you humans come up with."

" It's the demon!" came the cry of Haruno Sakura as she flung a kunai at Kyuubi. Only to gape along with the rest of the leaf nin when Naruto flickered into view in front of Kyuubi and with a strait kick upward shattered the kunai into little more than dust with his foot. He then brought his foot down hard upon the ground sending a small tremor along the road, a spider web of cracks along the ground surrounded the leaf nins.

" I wouldn't try that again." stated Naruto coldly. " Next time I'll use chakra in the strike, and it'll be your head that I shatter." continued Naruto showing the most emotion he had all day. This caused most of the leaf nin to blanch. '_That kick? Wasn't chakra enhanced? Even when Tsunade-sama did little stuff like that she used some chakra. Just how powerful are you Naruto-kun?' _thought Anko.

" Awww thanks for the save Naruto-kun." chirped the Kyuubi. As she jumped onto his back, wrapping her legs around his torso and her arms around his neck. Naruto for one, was completely unaffected.

" Why did you answer them?"

" I like seeing the fear in their eyes when they here my name."

" Egomaniac."

" You know you love me." answered the Kyuubi sweetly, ignoring most of the looks of shock, anger, and jealousy she was receiving.

" This is impossible!?" cried out a now hysteric Kakashi. " Naruto would be dead if you where released!"

" Not if he released me of his own free will, human." came Kyuubi's reply.

" Why would he ever do that!?"

" She was there for me." came Naruto's cold answer. An answer that caused Kakashi to look down in shame and strangled sobs to escape Anko, Kurenai, and Hinata.

" But Naruto how can you trust her she's a demon. The same evil demon that attacked the village years ago, the reason for your horrible life back in Konoha!" cried out Kakashi. Kyuubi much to the shock of the leaf nin, had a look of utter grief on her face and buried her face into Naruto's shoulders. Naruto on the other hand released enough killer intent to bring everyone back down to there knees. Kyuubi didn't know whether to be happy that Naruto was showing some emotion, or terrified because that emotion was anger.

" Tell me something Hatake. Do you know what Demons and Ninjas have in common?" demanded Naruto. Kakashi couldn't speak he only managed to shake his head. " People hear the word 'ninja' and they picture a cold cruel killer that will do anything for the right price. Just like they hear 'demon' and assume it to be a savage monster that is evil incarnate. Are all ninja merciless killing machines Kakashi?" again nothing but a small head shake for an answer. " Exactly. And not all demons are evil. And as far as the attack on Konoha, she actually has a perfectly reasonable explanation, one that any of you could relate two in one way or another. Especially you veteran ninja who can understand the basic instincts. Besides if I blamed her for my misfortune then I would be no better than the villagers now wouldn't I." Then as quickly as it appeared the killing intent vanished. Naruto turned away from the leaf nin and spoke again. This time his voice was once again devoid of emotion. "Besides you have nerve to speak of Kyuubi being evil while the villagers of Konoha still draw breath. And to think, five years ago was the worst attack yet it wasn't the worst thing that happened to me. Was it Inu-san?" Kakashi's eye widened considerably, while all color drained from his face.

" Y-you -"

" Remember? Oh yes quite well actually. It was one of my first memories, second only to a few I spent in her warm embrace. I should kill you but I'd much rather have you live with the fact that you disobeyed my father's and mother's last wish under the guise of 'just following orders.' I'm sure they'll never forgive you." The bystanders watched the scene play out between Naruto and Kakashi who apparently had a dramatic history. They bore witness to the rare sight of an emotional Hatake Kakashi as he was visibly crying quietly.

" I'm so sorry Naruto. I was foolish back then. You were his spitting image, and I couldn't help resent you for his death. Cou-could you ever forgive me?"

" Maybe…eventually. But I know for a fact I will never forget." With a heavy sigh Naruto began walking down the road. " We should get going. We'll meet you at your home Tazuna-san." Naruto, Kyuubi, and the other sound nin turned and leapt away ignoring the calls to wait.

" What was that about Kakashi?" demanded Kurenai.

" Only one of the biggest regrets I've had in my life, second only to not being able to save Obito." replied a solemn Kakashi as he stared up into the sky. Not bothering to wipe his tears.

"Well that was interesting." stated Anko bluntly. "Who would have thought Naruto-kun would grow up like he did. Genjutsu cast via a violin, unimaginable physical strength, some supercharged killer intent, and emotionally broken. Think of how Hokage-sama is gonna feel when we have to report that we turned our village hero into 'Hakkyou no Oto'."

" We screwed things up royally didn't we?" asked Kakashi

" Yep, we handed Orochimaru the one tool he needed to insure Konoha's destruction." Kurenai answered for Kakashi.

" What are you guys talking about? It's just the dead last." blurted out Kiba.

" Kiba the supposed dead last just had everyone here on the ground crying. Caught in a genjutsu, completely at his mercy, he's strong." growled out Sasuke Uchiha, to the surprise of just about everyone.

" What's the matter Uchiha, jealous again?" sneered Anko.

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" What do you think it means, it was your damn jealousy that was a catalyst for everything that happened."

" Don't talk to Sasuke-kun like that!" cried out Sakura, and the third member of team 7, Yamanaka Ino.

" Shut up you two fan-bitches. Your squawking didn't help anything!" yelled Anko.

"Enough!" cried out a still distraught Hinata. "Anko-sempai I know you're angry and even more hurt about Naruto-kun but stop fighting! It's obvious to me that this is a different Naruto-kun than the one we were used to. I don't know about you but I want him back. So instead of arguing about the past help me and Kurenai-sensei figure out a way to bring him back with us."

" You think I haven't thought of that! I don't know how we can bring him back. Did you see the way he looked at us!? The way he spoke to us as if we barely knew each other? Besides do you think his teammates will just let him leave. Not to mention Kyuubi!" cried out a hysterical Anko.

" So then you give up?" Hinata's quiet voice boomed like thunder. " You're gonna let Orochimaru steal another thing important to you. You know as well as I do that Naruto was starved for affection, and would do anything for the warmth of a little appreciation. Are you gonna let the man that took everything from you take something else? Are you gonna let him corrupt Naruto-kun against us. Let Naruto be his pawn. Are you gonna fail again and let Orochimaru win, are you gonna fail Naruto-kun again?" Faster than anyone could see Anko appeared in front of Hinata and delivered a vicious slap. To which the Hyuga heiress did nothing but shake it off and stare back into Anko's eyes. Eyes that were flooded with tears

" Don't you ever, I mean ever think for one second that I would let that sick bastard get his grubby little hands on Naruto-kun." Anko hissed. Hinata didn't flinch but met Anko's gaze head on.

" Then don't talk like it's over. Not once did Naruto even mention Orochimaru, from what you told me the one's that snake is able to manipulate are fanatical in their devotion to him. So that means Naruto hasn't been brainwashed yet. We still have time Anko-sempai, we'll get him back."

" Damn strait we will kid." stated Anko her usual façade of bravado taking it's place.

" You forget about the Kyuubi you two. I don't know what is going on between them, or whether or not she's manipulating him or she genuinely cares about him. Either way we're going to have to go through her to get Naruto." added Kurenai.

" As much as the idea of bringing Naruto home appeals to me, remember the mission is to protect Tazuna. That is our priority." stated Kakashi as he forced himself back into his laid back manner. Without another word the group began the trek to Tazuna's home. The appearance of a ghost of the past being the predominant thought in their minds.

* * *

As the group of Oto nin raced through the trees to their client's home, the sound kunochi were dying to know more about their team leader. Especially in regards to his grudge with The copy-nin Kakashi. Naturally being the brasher of the two, the duty of prying into Naruto's life, fell to Tayuya.

"Hey Naruto?"

" Yes Tayuya?

" What did one-eye do to you that made him cry like that?"

" He was instrumental in taking away the one women who loved me like her own son."

" What?"

" He was one of the people who helped tear me away from my adoptive mother."

* * *

**There ya go next chapter is up. More mysteries to be solved. Don't really know what to say. This was more of a reaction chapter. Some more concrete storyline will be used in the next chapter. The storyline really picks up after the wave arc. So there you go. Love to hear feedback on this story, due to the high flexiblity of the storyline. Take care people.**


	3. A Reason to Hate

Broken Melodies.

Ch.3: A Reason to Hate.

Naruto's heartfelt melodies conquered the night around the home of Tazuna. Earlier that day they had arrived at the home and were greeted by Tsunami, their client. The sweet women cried tears of joy when she found out that the Oto nin answered her plea for help. And for the second time that day Kyuubi was hugged unexpectedly and Naruto had to stop someone from bowing on the floor. Even Tazuna's grandson, a little boy by the name of Inari, let a small smile slip on his face, before quickly trying to cover it with his perpetual scowl. A scowl that was wiped of his face when Naruto, after noticing the financial situation of the family, sent Kin and Tayuya shopping with money from his own pocket. Tsunami shed a tear when the kunochi returned with enough food to last the entirety of the household, ninja and all, well over a month. Naruto also having witnessed the entire situation in wave, having the children begging for food in the streets drug up childhood memories, secretly sent a couple dozen Kage bushins back to Oto for aid to the village.

The relaxed aura around the house hold ended however when the leaf nin arrived and the atmosphere became tense once again. A tenseness that was easily reflected by the normally laid back Kakashi's constant twitchiness whenever Naruto entered the same room as him. After awhile Naruto simply decided that it would be better if the Oto nin made their base of operations outside. Or as Tayuya put it 'let the pansy-ass leafs feel safe and warm inside the house'.

That is why Naruto now found himself sitting on the roof, playing yet another melody via his violin. He had been playing for hours already doing anything to get the encounters with the leaf nin out of his mind. His melody ended abruptly when slender arms pulled him into the lap of Kyuubi. " How are you doing Naruto-kun?" Kyuubi asked gently.

" Fine."

" No you're not. I can feel it. Tell me what's wrong." Kyuubi had to bight back a sob as Naruto turned towards her just a little. His face was flooded with tears yet his expression remained blank, she honestly didn't know, if he knew he was crying. Oh god how she was going to make sure Konoha burns for what they did to her Naruto-kun.

" Why does it have to be so hard? I knew they where here and I thought I could handle it. Do you know how hard it was for me to control my self?"

" Shhh. It's o.k. for you to be angry, after what happened anyone would."

" That's just it, I wasn't angry I was happy to see some of them. I should hate them, I want to hate them, I just can't."

" Who Naruto-kun?"

" Anko and Kurenai! Hinata-chan never really did anything wrong, I'm just distancing myself from her because I don't want to hurt her when we go are separate ways. But Anko and Kurenai, how can I still care for them after what they did?" Naruto's voice was low. And it was obvious to Kyuubi he would be asleep soon.

" Maybe that's just your instincts telling you things aren't how they appeared. Maybe you should talk to them."

" I can't. Then there's Kakashi, god I wanted to kill that man." Naruto's eyes became unfocused and distant. " God I miss her Kyuubi." he mumbled as his eye lids began to feel heavy. Kyuubi seeing the emotional pain her Naruto was in, did something she rarely did. Looking back through the boys memories, she found the time when the boy was most at ease. As a child in his adoptive mother's arms. Using a small amount of youkai to manipulate and alter her voice, she hummed the lullaby that had calmed baby Naruto so often in the past. Tears rolled down her cheek and she smiled warmly as Naruto drifted of to sleep. She looked at his slumbering visage to see that of nothing more than a scared, and lonely 12 year old boy. He wasn't 'Hakkyou no Oto' as he slept in her arms, he was Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, and he was so afraid of being betrayed that he'd rather be alone.

"Your last remnants of innocence remain here with me, my Naruto-kun." she whispered softly through more tears. Everything he is and everything he uses to protect himself he gave to her, at times like these. In that way, he was completely hers if only because he trusted no one else. And even though times like these where a little common between the two, Kyuubi still didn't know why she cried. Was she happy because it was, in a way, strangely romantic, or was that dull pain in her chest her heart breaking because it was all so unbearably tragic.

After placing a chaste kiss on his fore head she sighed tiredly. "You can come out now." from the shadows along the roof top Tayuya and Kin walked to stand by the pair. Before the Oto kunochi could speak the Kyuubi cut them off. " All of you!" Not long after she said that Anko, Kurenai, Hinata, and Kakashi appeared on the roof in front of them." For the record the next time one of you encroaches on a private conversation between me and Naruto-kun, I'll rip your ears off, and make you swallow them. Now what do you want?"

" To talk about Naruto-kun, we want to know how his life has been…since then." stated Kurenai calmly. "Tayuya put a genjutsu on Naruto-kun make sure he stays asleep, he could use the rest." After a few moments for Tayuya to put Naruto into a deep sleep, Kyuubi sighed. " Well? Talk."

" What's your relationship with Naruto." Anko demanded.

" Why oh why would you ask that? A little jealous that it used to be you that he held complete and utter trust in? Hmm Anko-_nee-chan_?" Kyuubi smirked a little at the audible growl from the snake wielder. " Not that it's any of your concern but I care for Naruto-kun deeply and plan to make him my mate. Or, husband or whatever it is you humans call it. Yes, Naruto-kun is very important to me." Kyuubi cradled Naruto's sleeping form closer to her body, relishing in the glares she was receiving.

" How do we know you aren't just manipulating him, using him as some tool you can throw away later?" asked Kurenai, only to receive a glare would have made her cry if she were a lesser woman.

"How dare you! I was there for him when none of you were! I held his sanity together when his whole world was burning down around him! I was the one who held him in my arms when he sobbed about why his nee-chans weren't coming to get him! I kept him from falling prey to Orochimaru's manipulation! I would sooner burn the five great nations to the ground and kill myself before willingly hurting Naruto-kun. I will never, ever abandon him, or forget about him. So don't even start with that evil manipulative demon bit, you stupid, sanctimonious bitch!!!" Roared Kyuubi.

" How are we supposed to believe that you turned him against us." muttered Anko coldly.

" You turned him against yourselves. If anything I tried my damnedest to keep him from letting his hate make him kill you ingrates on sight! I tried to keep him from forcing himself to hate and forget about you, if only because some of you were very good to him. Though if this is how your gonna thank me maybe I should let him kill you." Everyone was reeling from the cold yet passionate fury that Kurenai and Anko had evoked from the demon lord. Said pair of Jounin had their heads bowed, quietly weeping. Sensing the tension amongst the group Kakashi blatantly changed the subject.

" So Kyuubi…Naruto said that you had a reason for attacking the village. Mind telling us what that is?"

" Oh its simple cyclops…self defense."

" Elaborate please."

" That night I woke up from a nap to find a couple dozen cultists trying to perform a ritual they believed would grant them my power. Needless to say I was irked at being woken up in such a manner and slaughtered the annoying little bastards. However it was not before they tried to activate said ritual. So all and all at the end of the fight, they're all dead, I however, had my human form decimated by their half baked ritual. Now I wasn't stupid I knew that hanging around in my true form would make you humans jumpy so I tried leaving fire country for awhile. Lo and behold, some of your ninja find me, and instead of leaving me the hell alone they have the nerve to attack me. Me! The freaking Kyuubi no Kitsune, so I defended myself. After that more and more came after me and after awhile my basic animal instincts kicked in and I went after the source…Konoha."

" You expect us to believe that?" asked Kakashi.

" Believe what you want, but think back one-eye I know you where privy to the reports being Yondaime's prize pupil. The first reports of my sighting what did they say?"

"That you had been seen near the border."

" Uh-huh. And did they ever say anything about me attacking?" Kyuubi smirked when the Kakashi looked around deep in thought. This continued until his visible eye widened.

" No! No they didn't but sensei never gave an attack order. Unless…Son of a bitch they did! Those bastards!"

" What is it Kakashi?" asked Kurenai

" When sensei first heard about the Kyuubi he had locked himself away in the library to find away to defeat her if necessary. With Sandaime-sama busy preparing the defenses should she attack, the role of leading the shinobi forces went to Danzo, who was Anbu commander back then, and the rest of the council. They must of given the order to attack, and in the chaos of the attack no one bothered to ask why Kyuubi attacked."

" Let me guess the fact that I was an evil demon was enough?"

" Unfortunately so." While the majority of the individuals contemplated the scope of what had just been discovered. A certain snake wielding kunochi had other thoughts on her mind.

" Kyuubi, you said that Naruto wanted to hate us, wanted us dead even. Why? Other than the obvious fact that we're leaf nin, what happened to him?" asked the snake user. Kyuubi looked into the eyes of Anko and heaved a weary sigh. This was not something she wanted to be the one to inform them about.  
" Anko…Kurenai. That day…some of the shinobi in the crowd…they…" Kyuubi trailed off.

" They what?" asked the two jounin simultaneously. The steel edge to there voice made even Kyuubi flinch. Again she sighed heavily before looking strait at the jounin.

" They used a henge to make Naruto think it was the both of you that organized the mob, and leading his torturing. They even used the acid that he and Anko had been working on in the torture to make it all the more real. This was all after they broke him down mentally and ripped away any shreds of faith he ever had in you two. I tried to tell him that it wasn't you after I had calmed him down, but you have to remember the boy had been burned so many times before by people who had pretended to be his friend only to, sometimes literally, stab him in the back. That combined with the fact that after he was kidnapped/rescued he never heard from you again, he chalked it up to you two abandoning him." Kyuubi's quiet words resounded like thunder through the night air. There was no anger from the two kunochi, no killer intent, no threats against the village. Only the feeling of having an icicle driven into your heart, while the rest of your body burned. They sobbed, and wailed their sorrows to the world. The Kyuubi in an instance of kindness walked over two the two distraught women. To the surprise of everyone present she handed the two sobbing women the slumbering form of Naruto. The boy was immediately cradled and smothered by the two jounin, who not half a minute later were joined by Hinata.

It made for quite a sight. Two of Konohagakure's most revered jounin, and the heiress of the Hyuuga clan, all sobbing in a strange mixture of emotions. All the while the cradled the slumbering body of 'Hakkyou no Oto' a boy that had once been a shining star in the night of their lives, who would now like nothing more than to gut them given the right provocation. All due to the wonderful people of Konoha, a village that was beginning to look less and less like home.

* * *

**There ya go a little insight into the building storm of relationships. Like I said the wave arc, is gonna go by relativly slow if only because alot happens in it. After it, things move at a bit faster pace. Until next time. Take Care.**


	4. Science of Suffering

Ch.4: Science of Suffering

Naruto sighed contently as he sat in a tree in the forested area of the village. Today was the day that his Kage bushin, returned with about 25 sealing scrolls, all of them stuffed to the limit with food, building materials, clothing, and other necessities. He and the group from Oto stood in the town square and handed out the supplies to those who needed it. The villagers cheered the name of Oto, and Tsunami turned into a local icon for having obtained the aid of the Oto nin. Naruto had by now gotten use to the people of the village ravishing their thanks upon his group, and although it made him uncomfortable, he stopped flinching when ever people thanked him. However, when four or five people lost themselves to their joy and attempted to hug him, he escaped and ordered the other Oto nins to do the handing out.

He was currently playing a light melody on his trusted violin, the steel case he kept it in sitting on a branch next to him, still wrapped in the chain he used to strap it on his back. The 'bow' he used glinting in the sunlight. His bow differed from others in two ways, the first being seals carved into the wood to make it self and the string more durable than the finest of steels, the same seals adorned the violin itself. The second was that on the side of the bow, opposite the string, a blade jutted out from just above the grip of the bow running all the way up the blade and coming to a stabbing point at the top of the bow. It may have come a cross as a little overly elaborate, but he was a shinobi and a shinobi could never have to many ways to kill an enemy.

He continued playing, eyes closed, no emotion on his face, he was smirking inwardly however, at his hidden observer. It was a little known fact that Genjutsu users who have gained a very high level of mastery in the art can construct free form illusions. That is to say they can build an illusion around the victim with out the illusion specifically having to be a jutsu. That was branch of genjutsu that Naruto loved to utilize the most. In constructing the illusions on his own, his techniques were that much more horrifying to his opponents. It gave the terror he instilled a much more personal quality to it. As sadistic as it sounded Naruto had been known to shatter weaker peoples' minds like glass, and truth be told, he enjoyed it very much. Especially because he only went that far on people who deserved it. But that was enough thought, it was time to lure the proverbial 'fly on the wall' into his web.

She didn't know how long she had been standing behind the tree simply watching the blond play his violin. By her feet lay a basket of herbs, forgotten the moment she found herself enraptured with the music drifting through the area. The sounds rose and fell, droned in and out, a perfect storm of rhythms. Suddenly an explosion of pain rocked her body, her eyes widened and she screamed in pain. A scream that was quickly ground into a wheeze of desperation as something began constricting her horribly. She fell over and rolled into the clearing, only to look up to see a large black serpent staring down at her. It's fangs glistened with what she could only assume to be venom, she made to call out for help only for the serpent to constrict her tighter. The serpent's eyes glowed a demonic red as it lunged at her. Her life flashed before her eyes, before she resigned to her fate. This was how it was going to end, not protecting her precious person, not even carrying out his will, she would become a meal for a reptile. Her thoughts ground to a halt as she felt the snakes fangs prick her cheek, and stop. She looked up to find the snake phase into non-existence, in it's place stood the blonde she had been watching, his bladed bow resting on her cheek. " Can I help you?" came the emotionless drone of her captor.

" Um…I'm sorry I was picking herbs when I heard you playing. Your really talented." she answered.

" Cut the act I know you're a shinobi now what do you want?"

" What makes you say that?" She was starting to panic.

" You mean besides the fact that I can smell the scent of blood on you and I can feel you trying to mask your chakra? I'd say that the senbon needle your trying to slip out of your sleeve counts for something." replied Naruto coldly. She cursed and held her hands up defensively again, it wouldn't do to be killed here. " What's your name?"

" Um…Yuki."

" Don't lie to me…Haku"

" H-how?"

" The little episode where your life flashed before your eyes. That was a high level interrogation genjutsu I used while you where distracted. I pretty much know every major event that's ever happened to you. Does Zabuza know?" Naruto's voice warmed slightly. Haku felt a familiar sickness make it's presence known. After Zabuza's defeat, Gato's men had taken to abusing and groping her. The mercenaries where easy enough to handle, but her bloodline and the aid of the demon brothers where the only reason she escaped full blown rape attempts at the hands of the other missing nin in the shipping tycoon's service. As much as she wanted to kill the bastards, with Zabuza out of commission they could easily kill him and her if she did anything to fight back. All she could do was hopefully avoid being caught until Zabuza was better. Her eyes began to water at the memories of her narrow escapes.

" No." came her dead voice. She heard her captor heave a heavy sigh, the blade was removed from her cheek and she was hoisted to her feet.

" Look Haku, from what I've gathered you're not a bad person, in fact we had similar childhoods." Haku perked up at this. " That is the only reason I'm not gonna kill you. In fact I'm offering you a way out." Haku's head shot up to meet his gaze. " I'd like to offer you a home in Otogakure. You, Zabuza and whoever else you think is worthy. No more being hunted, no more worrying about being betrayed by your employers, and no more abuse." The raw hope in Haku's eyes made Naruto feel somewhat warm.

" How do I know this isn't a trick? You expect me to believe that you going to welcome missing-nin with open arms?"

" You haven't been keeping up with the times have you? Otogakure has actively been looking for missing nin to join them for about a month now." when he saw her begin to tremble in excitement, he knew he had her.

" Let me discuss this with Zabuza-sama, and if he agrees and your telling the truth…then I'm sure we'd be happy to join you."

" That's good to hear. I'm sure we'll see each other again, you can tell me your answer then." Naruto turned to leave when Haku called out to them.

" Wait! What's you name, and how can you be so sure that will be accepted. No offense but wouldn't you have to me be pretty high up in the food chain to offer a missing nin sanctuary?"

" My name is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, but if you need to know who I am, they call me Hakkyou. Hakkyou no Oto." with that Naruto leapt to his previous spot to grab his violin case and the disappeared through the trees. Haku was frozen in surprise. That kid was 'Hakkyou no Oto'? Her surprise turned into happiness however when she realized that this meant the offer was that much more likely to be true. With a bright smile on her face she left to go inform Zabuza of the offer.

* * *

The mood was rather light as all the occupants of Tazuna's house gathered around the table for dinner. Kyuubi and Kin spent the time playfully mocking Naruto for his aversion to hugs. While Tayuya spent time listing reasons why Ino and Sakura where sad excuses of kunochi to Hinata, Anko, and Kurenai. Kiba was trying to pry some war stories out of Kakashi, while Shino sat quietly beside him. Tazuna was talking about how wonderful things where going at the bridge, and Inari and Sasuke where in the midst of a heated brood-off. Tsunami was sneaking glances at Naruto, inwardly thanking him for everything he had done for them, while Naruto simply sat quietly. The light atmosphere shattered however when Inari's pained whisper carried through the room. " Why are you all acting so happy?" 

"What's that gaki?" came the gruff voice of Kiba.

" I said why are you so happy? You're all gonna die!"

" Inari!" scolded Tsunami.

" It's true! They may be nice, but that doesn't mean they can take Gato. He has a whole army behind him!"

"We've faced armies before gakI." replied Tayuya.

" Don't be stupid, you guys have no idea what Gato is capable of!"

" Inari." the cold voice of Naruto instantly slowed the building tension. " You may be right, I don't know what Gato is capable of. But I do know that I am not capable of letting him destroy the lives of the people of this village. I won't let them suffer any more."

"You ninja, you think you can come here for a couple of days and relate to us? Then leave and go back to your homey little lives. How dare you!? What does someone like you know of suffering!" Instantly the older leaf nin and Kyuubi tensed. Eyes locked on Naruto who was barely keeping his killing intent from being noticed. Naruto's eyes dimmed drastically, and he stood slowly, his gaze landing on Inari.

"Are you done?" His voice was still as cold as ever, yet Kyuubi could tell he was angry. "If there is one lesson you need to learn Inari is that no matter how bad you have it someone always has it worse. Do you wanna know what the last day in my _home _village was like?" the venom in the word home made every leaf nin flinch. "You see growing up I was treated worse than a common rodent. I was threatened, beaten, and all around despised. I was so hated in fact that the few people that did want my company where ridiculed and threatened for not being cruel to me. That day I had just gotten out of the academy, I was walking home with my only real friend my age. The problem was that day we sparred during class, and I beat someone who was supposed to be the best at everything. He even had his own fan club, he was the villages darling, handed everything on a silver platter and made to believe he was better than he was. So naturally when I beat him he was angry. So to heal his bruised ego he challenged me to a fight, I didn't really see the point and turned him down. This only served to make him angrier, and in his rage he attacked my friend. Naturally I was enraged and I beat him down. Then enter two of his biggest fan girls, they had a habit of stalking him, so when they saw me beat the object of their obsession they began screaming to any one that could hear them that I was trying to kill him. Remember pretty much the entirety of the village despised me and loved the bastard, so my beating him up, despite the circumstances, was enough for them to justify my death. Of course I fought back when they began attacking but soon they captured my friend, and threatened not only to kill her but to rape her before they did it." Naruto heaved a deep breath, while those who where there that day either hung their heads in shame or sadness. Out of nowhere Naruto's killer intent came rushing over the occupants of the room, terrifying even the Kyuubi. Despite the terror even Inari was able to stay conscious, as if curiosity alone kept their bodies from the shut down it was begging for. Naruto then leveled a glare at Kakashi that made the copy nin seriously consider suicide.

" Normally I have a guard watching me because of the hate that follows me around to stop violence against me, or me from retaliating. Unfortunately that day my guard was a fool who thought I was the reason for his suffering. He appeared alright, and he restrained me with chains so that I couldn't attempt to escape the crowd calling for my blood. He then proceeded to pick up the bastard and leave, not even bothering to at least save my friend, choosing to leave a seven year old girl with a group of people who openly expressed a desire to rape her!" The killer intent focused on Kakashi made him wish for death. Hinata gasped as she caught Naruto's meanings and figured out that Kakashi was the Anbu that had abandoned her that day. Everyone began to cower as Naruto's eyes flashed from their calming blue to a malicious red. " To finish this up, the villagers beat me to within an inch of my life, only to take my half dead self, tie me to a post and light me on fire! Choosing to stoke the flames with every poison and acid they could find! The real kicker was that the people leading the assault where the only people I could ever consider family after my adoptive mother was chased from the village! You want to see suffering! Look at what my village made me! Look at the product of my SUFFERING!!!" Naruto was engulfed in a flash of red chakra. When the flash ended the image the rooms occupants found drew gasp. Naruto stood, eyes of crimson, his fingers now ended in sinister claws, elongated canines now poked from his lip, and the marks on his face disappeared completely. What surprised them the most however was where the pair of fox ears poking out of the top of his head, as well as the eight fox tails billowing gracefully behind him. " This…Inari…is my proof of suffering, my sin. Turned into the one thing they accused me of being, so that I might survive from an attack by their hands." Naruto's voice had gone back to being cold and dead. His killer intent gone, the only thing to ever suggest it had been there was a chill amongst everyone's spine. Inari, and every female in the room was openly shedding tears, Kakashi and Sasuke had their heads bowed low in shame muttering curses at themselves. Naruto turned and began walking out of the house, he stopped at the door and finished over his shoulder.

"The point is Inari, that as bad as I had it, I wouldn't doubt it if some body told me there was someone who had it worse. And despite how easy it would be to wallow in my own grief. I will fight so that no one has to suffer as much as I did. And for that someone that had it worse than me. I pray for that poor soul every night before I sleep." With that Naruto walked out the door and into the night.

* * *

**A.N. There you go another chapter of Broken Melodies. I am really thankful with the amount of support and kind words I've recieved over this piece. I'm happy to see I didn't ruin the 'dark Naruto' genre for anyone. I have most of the story figured out, although I must say my mind has a pension for overdrive and I'm pretty sure I'll veer off course soon. That's all for now. Reviews are appreciated, and I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. Though No, I will not give away Naruto's adoptive mother, the surprise is part of the story. Anyways Take Care.**


	5. Death of the 'Family'

Ch.5 Death of the 'Family'

Muffled cries and strangled sobs were predominant in the dining room that Naruto had just left. A teary eyed Hinata clutched the Kyuubi of all people for support. Said demon queen trying her best to comfort the child despite her own feelings. Inari was sobbing into his mother's shoulder repeatedly whispering an apology to her. Tayuya and Kin where glaring through teary eyes at anyone with a leaf head band, while Tazuna merely sat and stared at the open door. Team seven where sulking and wallowing in their regret, while Kiba and Shino where still trying to digest everything that had happened. The monotony was broken when Anko and Kurenai stood up from their chairs and ran out the door. Apparently choosing this time to inform Naruto of the deception played on him that day.

It didn't take long for the pair of Jounin to find him, they simply followed the path of felled trees. Eventually the caught up to him, he was laying in a clearing of his own design, if the uprooted tress where any indication. He stared up at the sky, his hands folded behind his head. The two jounin froze just before they entered the clearing. What now? Sure they followed him, and they knew that they wanted to tell him the truth, that it wasn't them all those years ago. The problem was, how exactly do they go about that. The fact was, that he had been a victim of that horrible lie for years. In fact even if they told him the truth their wasn't any real reason for him to believe them. The only possible reason being that, if the Kyuubi was being truthful, she had been trying to tell Naruto the truth for a while. How did they know he'd even talk to them for that matter, it wasn't like it was the best time to discuss the matter.

" You know. You'd think Jounin would have better stealth." Droned Naruto his eyes never leaving the sky. Anko and Kurenai walked into the clearing sheepishly. " Can I help you two?" his voice was once again calm, all hints of his anger from earlier gone.

" Um…we're here to talk to you Naruto-kun?" replied Kurenai hesitantly.

" Oh? What exactly is there for us to talk about?"

" Listen Naruto, we just thought that you should know that…that" Anko hesitated, the nerves of the coming confrontation getting to her.

" That?" Naruto prodded.

" That it wasn't us. That is to say that it wasn't us that did all those horrible things to you. We weren't even in the village that day." Anko held her breath. Praying that he believed them. Instead her revelation was met with silence.

" She's telling the truth Naruto-kun, we didn't get to the village till day break the next day." reaffirmed Kurenai, trying to keep down her worry over Naruto's answer.

" O.k." was all the blond boy said.

" What?" asked Anko.

" I said o.k."

" That's it?"

" What am I expected to do cry? Yell? I believe you, simple as that. What is my acknowledging of the fact that you didn't torture me supposed to do?" Naruto answered nonchalantly, eyes still towards the heavens. The two jounin were stunned. He was right. What now?

" Well Naruto-kun we were kind of hoping you'd forgive us." Kurenai's anxiety was at an all time high.

" Yeah, you know, trying to get things to the way they were-" Anko was cut off by a hollow laugh from Naruto. A laugh that brought tears to the eyes of the two jounin, for now it was all too clear to them. There would be no forgiveness on this night.

" The way things were? No. How could you possible think that everything was just going to be o.k.? So you didn't torture me, that doesn't explain why I never saw you two again." Naruto remained completely calm. Something the two jounin didn't know whether to be thankful for or frightened of. " Explain that to me. Why did it take half a decade and a mere coincidence for me two see you two again. I was attacked, kidnapped/rescued, taken away from the only home I knew, and I never saw those who supposedly cared about me again." Naruto had begun to leak a bare trace amount of killer intent, but still managed to keep his calm.

" Naruto the council wouldn't let us even look for you much less actively retrieve you." Kurenai' voice was beginning to waiver as she choked back sobs.

" Oh well that explains everything, the council forbid it. I thought we were family, in fact what was your definition of family Kurenai? I think it was something like 'a group of people who care about each other enough to risk their lives for the other'. So apparently from what I've gathered from you two, you're willing to risk your lives for me but not willing to defy the council. The truth is you didn't come after me cause you didn't want me. Maybe it just got to be to much for you and you were tired of helping me. Maybe you stopped caring about me and didn't know how to tell me, maybe you decided that our 'family' wasn't worth the scorn of the village. Hell, maybe you never cared about me at all." Naruto's eyes never left the sky. Anko and Kurenai were devastated , their heart wrenching sobs echoed through the night.

" Ototo please! You know none of that is true! It was a mistake! I don't know why we didn't go after you but we never for one second stopped caring about you. Ototo you have to believe that." Anko cried out, on the verge of hysterics.

" Anko-nee-chan…Kurenai-nee-chan…are dead to me…they have been for about five years." At that the two jounin fell to the ground and sobbed. Misery enveloping their entire body, nothing else in the world existed except them and their grief. And for this Naruto was thankful, because if they had looked upon his face at that moment they would see tears flowing from his eyes. As he desperately tried to ignore the shriveling feeling in his chest.

* * *

It had been roughly a week since Naruto's unveiling as a demon and the mood around the household had been tense to say the least. The tale had made Kyuubi remember just how much she hated Konoha. Tayuya and Kin, were seething, they had known that Naruto had it bad, but no one had ever told them to what extent his mistreatment went. Amongst the leaf nin there was an air of dissent amongst the groups. Team eight could barely keep their disgust of team seven hidden, some of them didn't even try to hide it. Team 7 themselves were wallowing in their shame, Kakashi being the most repentant of them. Tazuna and Inari had distanced themselves from the leaf nin although they tried not to be to obvious about it. Tsunami had grown blatantly cold towards them, which was a big surprise considering her warm and gentle nature. Anko and Kurenai were perhaps the biggest surprises. The two had returned that night an emotional wreck, and had stayed that way whenever they weren't doing anything vital to the mission. Naruto himself hadn't been seen all that much around the house, and when he was seen it was in the company of the Kyuubi conversing quietly. 

Currently Kyuubi was wishing that she was having one of those conversations. Instead she stood in front of Tsunami and Inari, with Tayuya and Kin flanking her on either side. In front of them stood eight missing nin from various villages. Four jounin and four chuunin, and while Kyuubi was sure that in a strait fight she and the girls would have very little trouble, the problem was this was far from a strait fight. The Oto nin had to protect Tsunami and Inari while fighting off the missing nin. The Konoha nin had gone to the bridge with Tazuna and Naruto was…some where. " Kin take care of Tsunami and Inari! Tayuya summon your 'Doki, we need to even up the numbers!" Kyuubi barked out as she drew and opened her fans. The two Oto kunochi immediately followed her instructions, not willing to argue with Kyuubi.

" Listen her girlies why don't you just give us the dame and the brat and we'll be on our way. No one has to get hurt, hell you don't even have to be bothered just step aside." asked one of the jounin in a surprisingly diplomatic tone of voice.

" Can we maul the bastards yet?" grunted out Tayuya, her three Doki floating in front of her waiting to strike. Kyuubi was about to answer when an outburst from one of the chuunin missing-nin cut her off.

" But boss I thought you said if we captured them we could have our fun with them."

" Oh yeah." Kyuubi deadpanned. " You can kill them." without another word Kyuubi charged the group of missing nin. The group tried to bring their guards up but where caught by surprise when Kyuubi dove through the air and flung her fans, nailing the 'fun-seeking' chuunin and the unaware Jounin next to him in the face killing them both. She used the shock of the group at seeing their comrades die so easily to bring her claws to bear on the jounin that had tried so hard to be diplomatic using him as a landing pad. The jounin leapt back and away from his claw bearing attacker and soon the two were separated from the rest of the combatants.

* * *

" Hell yeah! It's my turn!" cried out Tayuya as she sent her doki charging at the remaining two jounin and three chuunin. One of the chuunin who still seemed to be quite distracted by the metal fans embedded in the skulls of his comrades to pay attention to the attacking demons and soon fell to the might of Tayuya's summons. The other four missing nin however didn't seem as easily distracted by their comrades as the others and soon Tayuya was dodging hails of kunai and low rank ranged jutsu. All the while trying to get direct her doki into landing a fatal blow on her enemies. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kin throw her senbon into the clearing. She was about to ask what the point was when the familiar ring of the bells Kin was known for floated to her ears. Tayuya smirked as the effects of Kin's genjutsu fell on the dodging enemies. The two jounin shook it off almost instantly, the chuunin however needed a few seconds. A few seconds they didn't have as they where crushed by the demon summons. Tayuya smirked at the carnage her summons had wrought, before sending them after the jounin, the deadly game of cat and mouse beginning once again.

* * *

Kyuubi bit out a curse as the damn jounin she was facing evaded her attacks once again. The only good thing to come of the flurry of her attacks was that the bastard had not yet been able to go on the offensive. It was obvious to the Kyuubi that the man's speed was all he had going for him Problem was that when you've spent centuries doing all your fighting as a 50 story fox who can cause natural disasters with the flick of a tail and wipe small villages off the face of the earth with a raw blast of chakra, having less than a decade to learn to fight in a human body was asking a little much. In fact she had spent most of the time mastering fighting with her fans, the very same fans she didn't have in her possession at the moment. Finally having enough of the chase she made a final lunge at the jounin. When he tried to leap over her she did a partial shift to her true form and used her tails to grab the nin mid air and slam him viciously into the ground, driving a free tail into his heart before he could even realize he was on the ground. Smirking victoriously, and shifting back to her 'human' form, she turned to the clearing to see the two last missing nin charging a terrified Tsunami and Inari.

* * *

" Damn it that was so…stupid." Tayuya groaned. She had made a mistake one simple mistake and then everything went to hell. She had gotten overzealous in the pursuit of one of the jounin and while she was distracted the other sent a damn 'Suiton: Suiryuudan' (water release: Water dragon blast) at Kin. Now Tayuya had never been one for 'feelings', but Kin was her best friend, practically her sister. So it came as no real surprise, that with her doki to far away to intercept the blast, she suddenly found herself pushing Kin out of the way and taking the brunt of the damn water dragon. That was where she found herself now, trying to get up, her doki long since dispersed due to her concentration being broken, a dizzy Kin on the ground next to her. The frightened cry of Tsunami snapped Tayuya out of her daze, she looked up to find The two missing nin on their way towards the woman and her child.

* * *

Tsunami cried out as she saw the last line of her defenses taken out by a dragon of water. She was torn between concern for the two girls and concern for her child. Thoughts of what someone like Gato would do to her and Inari in order to keep his stranglehold on the village flooded her mind. She was brought out of her revelry however when the men stopped in their tracks and began to clutch at their heads screaming bloody murder. Their screams where silenced when a good sized tree came flying out of the forest like a missile, slamming into the two men leaving nothing more than bloody smears where they had once been standing. 

The Oto nin heaved a sigh of relief as there was only one person in the area that would be capable of such a feat. Sure enough not 10 seconds later Naruto walked out of the tree line with a tall man wearing black and white camouflage pants with the lower part of his face masked and jet black hair thrown haphazardly over his shoulder. The man was sliced up pretty badly with slashes across his chest, arms, and back. Behind the duo a brown eyed girl in a light blue kimono was following dutifully, doting over the man on Naruto's shoulders. They made their way over to where the Oto nin and Tsunami and Inari had gathered. Naruto then proceeded to drop the man off his shoulders and onto the ground. " You can be a real cold bastard you know that?" growled out the man.

" I've been told that a couple of times, so yeah." droned Naruto.

" Holy shit! That's Momochi Zabuza!" cried out Tayuya. " What the hell happened to him?" she asked in a much more subdued voice.

" He refused to accept my offer of a position in Oto until I fought him. So I did."

" You call that a fight you ass." growled out Zabuza

" There was going to be two more but the died in a double cross by Gato." continued Naruto ignoring Zabuza.

" So your just gonna let THE Momochi Zabuza tag along with us to Oto?" asked Kin.

" Why not, Orochimaru wanted us to try to recruit some missing nin. And it's not like Orochimaru of all people is gonna have any moral or ethical objections." chipped in Kyuubi.

" Got that right." mumbled Tayuya. All other discussion was interrupted when the tell tale signs of a fight could be felt coming from the bridge.

" It would seem Gato has chosen now of all times to make his move. We're going." stated a calm Naruto as he created a group of Kage Bushins. "Tsunami-san, Inari-san, you two are coming with us we can't afford to leave you two here." Without another word Naruto took off towards the bridge. His kage bushins grabbing Zabuza, Tsunami and Inari, followed him. The rest of the Oto nin shared a glance before following their leader.

As they where leaping through the trees Kyuubi could of sworn there was a hidden sense of urgency in Naruto. Thinking back to what he had told her about the encounter with Kurenai and Anko she couldn't help but let a small smile grace her features. ' You really do still care for them don't you Naruto-kun.'

* * *

**AN: There ya go the next chapter. I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying the story and I hope I'm able to keep everything at a quality that you will enjoy. To explain the whole partial shift for the Kyuubi, she usually walks around in a true human form. That is to say there are no tails of fox ears, the 'partial shift' was her hanyou form, that is to say that everything is the same she just gets her tails and fox ears back. Before any one can complain about Kin's lack of action in the fight you need to remember that she is still just a genin. Maybe a rather strong genin but a genin none the less. O.k. I thank that should clear up any major misunderstandings, if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them, story willing of course. Due to everyone's clamouring for the knowledge of Naruto's adoptive mother and some pretty close if not correct guesses I'm gonna give you the top four guesses. They are Konan, Tsunade, Rin, Shizune. One of those four is Naruto's adoptive mother. So there ya go something to tease your curiosity. Take care.**


	6. A Tyrant’s Requiem

Ch.6 A Tyrant's Requiem

It is often said that the embrace of death is cold in nature. Well right about now Hinata Hyuga was beginning to feel just a tad bit nippy. The leaf nin had made it to the bridge with Tazuna in tow, only to find the few men that had stayed to help with the bridge incapacitated on the ground. It was then that the man responsible for the suffering of wave, Gato, made his appearance. And with him stood a large force of easily 750 men, ranging from common thug to trained mercenary, some even appeared to be genin level shinobi. With a simple statement of him showing what happens to those who oppose him, Gato sent his henchmen at the Leaf nin.

The fight was long and hard, while the common thugs and some of the mercenaries where easy enough to handle for even the genin. Some of the mercenaries where skilled enough to provide a very real threat to even the jounin. Still the sheer numbers quickly balanced out the difference in skills.

Sakura and Ino had stayed back to act as a last line of defense for Tazuna. Kiba and Akamaru had proved them selves by using his clan attacks to take down multiple enemies, however he was now only using taijutsu to fend off attackers as he ran his chakra reserves dangerously low.

Shino had proved to be the best equipped of the genin to handle the numbers. His strategy of sending out kikai in mass to drain the henchmen of their chakra was working flawlessly until the bug user was hit with multiple arrows from marksmen on the other side of the bridge, he fell unconscious shortly afterward. Sasuke had also proved his worth, though in his haste to prove himself he miscalculated and was soon as drained of chakra as Kiba, having used a few too many Katon jutsu.

The jounin had taken to using weapons and taijutsu in dispatching enemies, showing the wisdom of experience, as they conserved the chakra that was so precious in situations such as this. Though one look could show anyone that they were now on the verge of fighting the effects of physical exhaustion.

Hinata herself had proved to be extremely valuable as her family taijutsu style allowed her to end the life of an enemy in a single prod. And prod she did. Five years ago Hinata would have never dreamed of dispatching human lives so easily. However, just thinking about that day, the day she watched her best friend, and to be honest semi-crush, attacked and tortured by the people of her home village. The day the infamous and 'supposedly evil' Orochimaru had showed up as the villagers cheered as her best friend burned, and rescued/kidnapped Naruto. The day she learned that some people deserved nothing more than to die, and swore on the blood he left behind that she would find Naruto again. Drove her to end the lives of her enemies with cold efficiency.

However despite the gaps in skills, sheer numbers can be a powerful equalizer as Hinata found out when as she ended the life of a sword toting samurai she was struck heavily in the ribs by the blunt side of a battle axe. As she rolled on the ground from the powerful blow she made the painful observation that a number of her ribs where broken. Her world slowed as she looked up to find the axe coming down on her, she took a second to realize that she had indeed met her goal of finding Naruto, any thoughts of dying happy with this knowledge, or dying period ground to a halt, when the axe blade was caught between two palms. She looked up to find Naruto staring blankly at her, before snapping the axe blade from it's handle with a flick of his wrist and hurling the blade at her assailant, embedding it in his sternum.

She looked around to find that apparently while she had been preoccupied the Oto nin had arrived, as Tsunami and Inari where now being held by a visibly relieved Tazuna, while Kin stood guard with Ino and Sakura. Tayuya had cleared the side of the bridge around Kiba and Sasuke, who both looked a little annoyed at having to be saved. In another area the jounin cleared their area of enemies with the aid of not only Kyuubi but to the shock of most of the leaf nin the hunter nin that had killed Zabuza Momochi. The same Zabuza that was being carried over the shoulder of a bushin of Naruto. He was alive…if not so much well. She stared back up at Naruto who was staring blankly at the rest of the mercenary army, who had also stopped and stared at the new arrivals.

The standoff was broken when in a speed that appeared to be nothing more than a blur to Hinata's Byakugan, Naruto flashed thought a set of hand seals before crying out, "Magen: Makai Rensa!" (Demonic Illusion: Hell Chains). The leaf nin looked on in awe as chains, that where apparently red hot if the screams where any indication, burst forth from the ground in an instant ensnaring every single enemy combatant. Instantly howls of pain and cries for mercy were heard from the group, even the ever smug Gato displayed a look of utter pain and fear on his visage. "Hinata-chan, regroup with the others." Hinata nodded dumbly, to Naruto's monotone request, before getting up painfully and limping towards the area in which the leaf and Oto nin had regrouped. The group where eyeing each other, when Kakashi asked the question on the mind of every leaf nin.

" So um…Kyuubi, do you mind me asking what the supposedly dead Zabuza is doing here?"

" Well Kakashi all you need to know is that he is now under the protection of Oto so if you or any one of your kiddies get any ideas, realize that you'll be declaring war." stated the Kyuubi not taking her eyes off of Naruto who was calmly retrieving his violin from it's case ignoring the cries of his prisoners. When the strings of the violin, and the sting of the bow began to glow a frosty blue, she jumped up clapping merrily, much to the shock and confusion of everyone. " Yay he's going to use it! It's been soooo long, I missed the utter carnage of it!"

" What are you talking about spaz?" grunted Tayuya.

" I'd like to know that as well." asked Kurenai softly. Kyuubi seeing their questioning looks waved them off before absently replying.

" Just sit back, relax, and feel honored mortals. You're all about to see one of Naruto-kun's prized jutsu. Not many can claim the honor of seeing it and living to tell the tale. You should remember Kin, it was the one he used to save you."

" I didn't get to see the jutsu only the aftermath." replied Kin lowly.

" Well here's your second chance. Don't blow it and pay attention." answered Kyuubi. The rest of the group decided to simply watch. Naruto stared ahead at his captives before speaking softly.

" You have all played a hand in the suffering of the innocent people of this village. A transgression I am not willing to forgive. Listen closely, for this is your final song. Oto Nami Indou!" (Sound Wave Requiem) Naruto began playing a deep and dark melody, and the screams began. The leaf and Oto nin watched on in awe, and in some cases excitement as vicious slashes struck the bound combatants, cleaving into their bodies. Screams of horror and pain erupted as one by one the mercenaries where hacked to pieces by an unseen force, as Naruto walked through the carnage calmly, eyes closed never once turning his focus away from his melody.

" That's the damn attack the bastard used on me! What the hell is that!?" demanded Zabuza.

" That Zabuza as you heard is Naruto-kun's Oto Nami Indou. Sure to become one of the greatest mass damage offensive jutsu the five great nations will ever know."

" Ok, yeah, but what does it do?" asked a visibly stunned Anko.

" Simply put he embeds blades of chakra into the sound waves produced by the violin. The chakra blades then ride on the sound wave like a raft at sea until they come to a stop in the intended target."

"Ummm. What?" asked Kiba sheepishly.

" To put it simply their nigh invisible chakra scalpels flying towards the enemy at the speed of sound." answered Kyuubi with an air of finality as she turned back to see the carnage caused by her Naruto-kun. Said blond was slowly making his way towards the end of the bridge at which Gato stood bound, and whimpering at the burns inflicted by the red hot chains. As he walked mercenary after mercenary fell to his requiem. Bloodcurdling screams joining his melody in a sinister symphony as the bound mercenaries where dismembered, disemboweled, and decapitated by the high speed blades of chakra. Seeing the devastation of a single jutsu by Naruto the reactions and feelings amongst the spectators varied.

Tazuna felt sick but knew that it was a necessary evil for his village to achieve the greatness it once held. Inari was already forming the beginnings of a strong hero worship of Naruto. To see the blond fight so ferociously to protect the village that Inari himself had given up on inspired the boy. In the back of his mind he also found Naruto's words about someone having it worse than him true. He sure as hell didn't want to be in any of the mercenaries' positions right now. Tsunami had mixed feelings, she felt slightly ecstatic at seeing the rescue of wave happening right in front of her. She also felt slightly guilty that such loss of life occurred, in some miniscule way, at her request. It was her plea that brought Naruto to wave, and condemned those men to death.

Hinata was immensely proud at the strength her friend had gained. Kiba was frightened by the gap in power between Naruto and, well…everybody. Ino and Sakura were terrified at the fact that they were responsible in some way for the ruining of the life of someone so powerful. Sasuke was torn between being envious of Naruto's strength, feeling guilty over his envy, and being frightened by Naruto as he killed with a calmness the young Uchiha had only ever seen in his brother. Anko, much like Hinata, was proud that Naruto had grown strong enough to protect himself. Kurenai was concerned that Naruto had become so emotionally blank that he could murder so callously. Kakashi was worried that he and Konoha had truly created a monster.

To Kin it was just further proof of Naruto's strength and greatness. Tayuya was awed at the sheer strength of Naruto, she had known he was strong, everyone in Oto did. However until one saw it in person it was still easy to underestimate the blond. Haku was happy, surely someone so strong would be able to provide her and Zabuza the escape he had promised. Zabuza was torn between respect for a superior ninja, and bitterness at having been caught off guard by the very same technique. Kyuubi was ecstatic at the technique, it always made her feel that she had made the right choice in falling in love with Naruto. He wasn't some puny mortal that wormed his way into her heart, no he was someone that was fully capable of fighting and causing devastation on par with that of a demon. It assured her that the blond would be a great protector for their future family.

When Naruto finally arrived to stand in front of a traumatized Gato not a single member of the man's mercenary force was alive. In all honesty not many of them were in a single piece. Naruto stared frostily into the terrified eyes of the tyrannical tycoon. As he made to draw the bow over the strings of his violin to complete his requiem, Naruto leapt back just in time to avoid a storm of senbon needles. In a cloud of smoke a ninja appeared in front of Gato that was recognized instantly by the Konoha jounin, as Rokusho Aoi holder of the Nidaime's Raijin. Aoi's face held a look of cold and complete contempt as he stared down Naruto.

" Aoi." stated Naruto calmly. "Stooping to being this fool's tool, that's pathetic even for you."

" Hakkyou no Oto." Aoi sneered. "Gato has nothing to do with this. It's completely personal. You know I've been waiting for awhile for this. It's time I get my revenge on you. You got me chased out of Ame and ruined my life, now I'll end yours." Aoi activated the Raijin and pointed it at a passive Naruto.

" Maybe if you would have protected your client instead of running like a coward you wouldn't have disgraced yourself."

" I'll show you a disgrace!" Aoi charged and began swinging the Raijin at Naruto recklessly. Naruto avoided all of the attempted strikes with relative ease. The man really was a pathetic ninja. He had let the power of the legendary sword go to his head and neglected basic training.

"You've grown even more pathetic Aoi."

" You want to know what's pathetic…your whore of an adoptive mother. I saw her a couple of months ago at a bar crying over a picture of little baby you. The stupid bitch I bet she doesn't even know your not in Konoha any more." Aoi grinned inwardly as his barb had the desired affect as Naruto froze for a second at the mention of his mother. Aoi plunged his blade into the chest of…Gato? Indeed, Aoi had murdered the sniveling tyrant who was the victim of a well timed kawarimi by Naruto. Aoi turned around quickly only to feel an explosion of pain in his chest and then nothing at all.

The spectators looked on as Naruto ripped the heart out of the sword toting missing nin's chest and violently shoved it into the mans mouth before thunderously kicking the corpse off the bridge. Naruto then looked down at his feet and picked up the deactivated Raijin before walking back towards the group. His expression was nonchalant as if he had not just committed a miniature genocide. The spectators didn't know what to say, and the silence was tense. Naruto for one didn't grasp the atmosphere as he simply walked by the group telling the Oto nin that they where heading back to Tsunami's home.

Kakashi was the first to shake himself out of the stupor Naruto's indifferent behavior had caused everyone. "Um Naruto, I'm gonna need that sword." Naruto stopped but didn't turn around to face the jounin.

" To the victors go the spoils Kakashi."

" Well you see he stole that sword from Konoha."

" What right does Konoha have to this sword."

" The weapon is Konoha's Naruto."

" That's interesting the last I heard it was called the Nidaime's Raijin not Konoha's Raijin. And seeing that Nidaime-sama is dead this sword is without a master."

"That sword is by all rights Konoha's Naruto, I'll use force if necessary." said Kakashi lowly. He flinched when Naruto laughed at him.

" It must be Konoha's way to be arrogant enough to assume everything will be given to them based on the accomplishments of their ancestors. Yes Nidaime-sama was from Konoha but the only person that could ever claim the right to this sword is Tsunade-sama herself. And seeing as how she wants nothing to do with the village then there is no way this sword can be in any way the right of Konoha."

" What do you mean Tsunade-sama doesn't want anything to do with Konoha?" blurted out a curious Ino. Naruto only looked at the blond incredulously before laughing bitterly.

" You didn't know little girl? Then perhaps Kakashi can tell us. Go on Kakashi tell them! Tell them why one of my first memories as a child is the blue glow and thunderous crackling of a Raikiri inches away from my face! Tell the newest generation of Konoha shinobi why, despite the fact that it isn't known to most, Konoha has only one remaining loyal Sannin!"

* * *

**There you have it. I hope this satisfies all of you. I realize I havn't updated this story in awhile, and my other stories have gone largly ignored. But the financial aid office at school is trying to screw me out of some money so now I'm working a part time job, a full time job, and going to school for 12 semester credit hours so yeah...got a bit on my plate. So expect delays in updates for awhile or at least until I can get the financial aid people to stop being all uppity. Questions? Comments? Any kind of real feedback I'm gratefull for. Hopefully you've all figured out who Naruto's adoptive mother is. If not grab your best friend, a tack hammer, and ask them to bludgeon you to death. Next chapter is the flashback to the seperation, and the end of the wave arc.**


	7. Reason To Write a Requiem

Ch.7: Reason To Write a Requiem

Silence reigned on the bridge, and Hatake Kakashi, the son of the White Fang, felt like hiding under the nearest rock. The stares of just about everyone bore into him, and he wished something would distract them. After his declaration of one of Konoha's more secret, s-class secrets, Naruto had disappeared. Unfortunately for the copy-nin everyone else stayed and were now intent on hearing how one of his spiteful actions against Naruto snowballed into the loss of a sannin. That didn't mean he was going to tell them however.

As soon as the thought of escape crossed his mind he found himself bound by the same genjutsu that had been used on the mercenaries. He winced at the heat of the chains but bit his lip to keep from crying out. Behind him the emotionless drone of Naruto spoke into his ear. "Tell them Kakashi. These won't break until you do." again he was gone. Kakashi stared back towards his observers only to see demanding glares had replaced inquisitive looks.

" You guys don't really believe him right?" Seeing the glares from the Oto-nin and Kurenai, Anko, and Hinata become downright murderous he heaved a sigh. Before looking down defeated. " Don't make me do this." again glares where his answer. "Fine. But what I'm about to tell you is an S-class secret of Konohagakure no Sato, I'm risking execution by even mentioning it in the presence of foreigners." Kakashi cast a glance at the Oto-nin and Tazuna's family. " The only reason I'm even considering telling you is that I'm pretty sure if I didn't you'd kill me and the Kyuubi would tell you any way since she probably already knows." Seeing said demon smirk, Kakashi heaved another defeated sigh.

" It all happened on the third anniversary of the Kyuubi's 'defeat', Naruto's third birthday. I was already in a bad mood since that day represented the death of my beloved sensei, then I woke up to find that I had drawn protection duty for Naruto. Now you all know by now that I resented Naruto during a lot of his life, he was just a perfect mockery of everything I despised. He contained the demon that had taken sensei from me and then if that wasn't enough he looked exactly like him. I was well aware of who he was and his heritage, but to my foolish, and angry mind none of it registered. Anyways it was just around noon that day and I was watching Naruto play in the front yard of Tsunade-sama's home.

She had come to the village to deliver Naruto at the request of Kushina and Minato-sensei. When she found out about the death of Kushina-sama and Minato-sensei, she had offered to look after Naruto until a home could be found. At the reading of Minato-sensei's will he stated that he wanted his 'big sister' Tsunade-sama to be Naruto's guardian in the event of his death. This in addition to Tsunade-sama's friendship with Kushina and the bonding that she had done with Naruto over the few days she had watched him lead her to adopt him. But to Tsunade-sama Naruto wasn't her adopted child he was her's and in Naruto's mind Tsunade was his mother. There was nothing 'adopted' about it. What she lacked in a blood bond to Naruto, Tsunade-sama made up for in love and affection, even cutting back and eventually giving up sake and gambling in favor of spending time with Naruto. They were the center of each other's world. She had made it well known that any attacks on his life would be met with extreme hostility.

That day started out like any other I grudgingly watched over Naruto as he was glared and cursed at, until like I said he was playing in front of his home. Tsunade-sama had gone inside to help Shizune with lunch, and as Naruto was playing a young genin, if I remember correctly his name was Mizuki, walked up to Naruto, kunai held behind his back. Again this was the type of situation I was there fore but that day all I could bring myself to do was root the kid on quietly. I let him attack Naruto and he did, he tried to drive the kunai into Naruto's head but as he swung down Tsunade-sama and Shizune burst through the front door after him, in his panic he missed and drove the kunai into Naruto's shoulder. Not that any of it mattered to Tsunade-sama, in a heartbeat she was at Naruto's side with what was left of Mizuki's head smeared across her fist.

After that things spiraled downward, Tsunade-sama confronted me and before I could even spit out a reasonable excuse she beat the ever living hell out of me. Some Anbu arrived and she beat the hell out of some that where trying to use the chaos to execute Naruto. It boiled down into a mini-riot with some Anbu siding with Tsunade-sama and some trying to kill Naruto. Before the Sandaime arrived on the seen Mizuki and six Anbu where dead, all of them anti-Naruto. I myself, was pretty much mauled but nothing a good medic-nin couldn't fix, I was just lucky that in all the distress Tsunade-sama had not had enough focus to use her super strength very effectively. A week later there was a council meeting to decide disciplinary action against Tsunade-sama of all people. After hours of threats, taunts, and reasoning, they decided that they where going to take Naruto away from Tsunade-sama. Citing the violence as manipulation of the demon, we all knew it was bull shit, but hey I wasn't complaining it was suffering inflicted upon Naruto. Of course Tsunade-sama wasn't going to take it lying down and took of towards her home presumably to get Naruto.

I followed her and when we arrived at her home we found Shizune knocked out in the yard. When Tsunade-sama woke her up we found out that a group of Anbu had taken Naruto, presumably to the Hokage. What began was a march of destruction I have seen equaled very few times. Tsunade walked towards the Hokage tower utterly destroying the Anbu that tried to get in her way and slow her down. Until she came upon Sandaime-sama along with his Hokage guard. One of them holding Naruto tenderly, apparently one of the non-Naruto haters. It was then that the downward spiral ended in an unholy crash.

FLASHBACK

A thoroughly enraged Tsunade stood before her sensei, glaring heatedly. Behind her laid dozens of Anbu members that had tried to stop her, some dead, many wishing they were. The Sandaime met her glare sadly, only barely mustering up enough resolve not to avert his gaze away. " Sensei give me my son." The declaration was cool, and calm. Yet one could hear the ultimatum laced within the words, the silent 'or else' hanging around everyone's neck like a noose.

" I can't do that Tsunade."

"Sensei. Give. Me. Naruto." Tsunade took a few steps forward. Then in a move that shocked every single person to their very souls, the Sandaime Hokage, teacher of the legendary sannin, whipped off his Kage robes to reveal his battle armor, and took a defensive stance. "S-sensei?" The utter look of betrayal and heartbreak that flashed across the blond sannin's face brought tears to the eyes of the hokage.

" T-Tsunade-chan you are becoming a threat to the people of this village with your behavior. I-I'll stop you if I must." The aged hokage stared at the ground not believing the words coming out of his mouth.

" Why? Why aren't you helping my Sen…Sarutobi." came the pained whisper of Tsunade.

" I know this isn't fair to you or little Naruto Tsunade. But there's nothing you can do. The needs of the village come before the needs of one. Maybe it's for the be-"

" Don't you dare! Don't give me any of that crap. Just how much is one expected to give for their village. Naruto gave his blood parents and any chance of a normal life for his villager at birth! Now you ask for more! Tell me would you be asking so much, would you give in so easily to the council if it was your son? How noble would you be then?" the blond bellowed all sorrow gone only rage present.

" Tsunade I promise you I'll protect him."

" Like you promised Minato you'd have him seen as a hero! Like you promised us you'd never betray us. You're a bigger snake than Orochimaru. Your promises aren't worth shit old bastard!"

" Tsun-"

" Enough! You used to be like a father to me Sarutobi, but Naruto is my life, and if you want to stand in my way then so be it!" as Tsunade took a step to charge into a battle for her son her foot sank into the ground, getting stuck. She shook off her shock and looked up to find her other teammate standing in front of her sensei. " Jiraya? What are you doing? Are you gonna side with them!?"

" I can't let you hurt sensei or this village Tsunade." replied the frog sannin grimly.

" You…You of all people should know how much he means to me and what's gonna happen to him Jiraya. Are you willing to let that happen, to your own student's son. Would you betray me…betray Minato like that?" When Tsunade received nothing in the way of an answer, her resolve hardened and she gathered chakra into her hands, enough to make every ninja within a five mile radius weary, Sarutobi and Jiraya gaped, it was enough to level half of the village in a single blow. Sure one sannin was no match for a sannin and a kage, but add the power of an enraged mother and nothing was a sure bet. " Fine then, that boy means more than life to me, if I had to go through Dan and Nawaki to have my soon back I would. Prepare yourselves." Again before anything could be done the sound of birds erupted and everyone turned to see Hatake Kakashi donning his Anbu armor holding Naruto, who he had ripped out of the hands of the unsuspecting Anbu, cradled in his left arm. His lightning covered right arm no more than six inches away from the three year old's face.

" Leave this place Tsunade-sama. Or I will end this conflict of interest." His voice was cold and left no doubt's that he would carry out his threat. It was checkmate and Tsunade's resolve broke. She was faster than Kakashi but there was no doubt the bastard could move his hand six inches before she could make it to him. The blond sannin fell to her knees and cursed, tears falling down her eyes yet refusing to weep. She made no notice of Jiraya's release of his jutsu. In fact she made no notice of anything until she felt two people walk up to her. She looked up to see Sarutobi bending down to embrace her in a hug. He was met with a jaw shattering, brain scrambling slap. Jiraya had moved to protest only to receive the same in the back handed version. Through the unshed tears in her eyes the blond glared at the two.

" Consider that the breaking of our bonds. I'm enacting my travel rights as a sannin for me and Shizune. I hate you both and this village with every thing that I am. Konoha will be but ashes in the wind before I ever return to aid it in any way. And as for you two. If you ever come near me again I'll kill you. My grandfather and granduncle, as well as Minato look down upon this village and weep." With out missing a beat the blond sannin turned on her heel and walked away. Her heart freezing with every step.

"Kaa-san!" came the cry of her son. Who's child mind couldn't understand what was happening, other than the fact that his mother was leaving, and she was doing it without him. " Kaa-san! Kaa-san! Kaa-san!"

This is when Tsunade broke, tears pouring from her eyes, blood flowing from her clenched lip, her heart shriveling in her chest as she forced herself not to turn around. The sound would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life, the sound of her child's cries becoming more desperate as she disappeared from view.

End Flashback

" After that Naruto always had at least four separate squads of Anbu following him, not for his protection but to make sure Tsunade never retrieved him. Tsunade was allowed to keep her status as a sannin, as the council feared what would happen to Konoha and it's reputation if word got out that another of it's sannin had left it. Not to mention the fallout with the daimyos of the land when the granddaughter of the founder of Konoha denounced it. The only reason most civilians and children don't know is that most of the village was on the other side of town at the Kyuubi festival." Kakashi finished his story to find many of his audience in tears, some glaring at him, and some deep in thought. The last thing he saw however was a glaring Mitarashi Anko's incoming fist before his world faded to black.

* * *

It had been a week since the battle of the bridge. Naruto had once again gone into seclusion only being seen in the presence of Kyuubi and surprisingly Hinata. For the young Hyuuga the surprise visits had been a blessing and a curse. She considered herself blessed that Naruto still even considered her friends enough to visit her. But cursed that he remained his emotionless husk with her, keeping only to small talk, and using bone jarring logic to crush her smallest thought about the slimmest possibility of her joining Oto. Anko and Kurenai had spent time talking with the Kyuubi and the three had developed a loose friendship. Kin and Tayuya had been discussing Oto with Haku and Zabuza. The genin of Konoha kept to themselves mostly, the whirlwind of revelations tiring the poor genin out emotionally.

Kakashi had become the village pariah when rumors of him wronging the new village hero greatly in some way or another had spread. He was glared at, taunted, and refused service by many places. It had been just a week and the copy-nin was at the end of his rope. This had only increased his shame about how he had wronged Naruto so much in the past. The biggest thing for Kakashi is that he was already going insane but didn't have to deal with the physical attacks that the boy had to.

The two groups of ninja now stood in front of each other as the sound nin made ready to board a boat to the main land. The leaf nin would stay until the bridge was complete, while the sound nin had already done theirs. Tense goodbyes where exchanged by the few that had formed friendships.

Silence reigned when Naruto walked up to Hinata and in a move that confused even himself embraced her in a stiff and awkward hug. " Take care of yourself Hinata-chan." though most of it was said in the usual monotone there was an inflection of warmth in her name that gave the young Hyuuga hope. He then approached Anko and Kurenai with a look intense inner debate flashing upon his visage. Eventually he stuck his hand forward. " Anko nee-chan and Kurenai nee-chan may be dead to me…but I guess we could start over. So this is good bye for now Kurenai-san…Anko-san." the two jounin flinched at the formal suffix but took the boys hand graciously. It may not have been what they wanted but it was something. At least he hadn't shut them out completely.

While this was going on Kakashi had saddled up to the Kyuubi. " Tell me something Kyuubi, does Naruto want revenge, is he a threat to Konoha?" the demon only smirked at him.

" Of course he wants revenge and he damn sure is a threat to Konoha. More so than Orochimaru even. Just consider yourselves lucky that his disgust of the village overpowers his hate and he considers it's destruction more trouble than it's worth. I'll give you some advice however, I know your gonna have to report all this to the Hokage, when you do make sure you tell him this. I was only using physical attacks and one tails worth of power 12 years ago. While Naruto doesn't have complete grasp of his powers he can use five tails easily. In laymen's terms he can cause five times the amount of destruction I did. Don't. Piss. Him. Off. And don't give him a reason to write you a requiem.

* * *

AN: There ya go. If it seemed like the end was breezed through, well that's because it was, alot of it is flashback fodder. Now some of you have been asking for some Naruto Hinata interaction, Trust me when I say that during the Chuunin exams there will be enough fluff to choke a bunny so no worries on that. Alot of you may think that Tsunade gave up too easily but remember that she really only had one chance to get Naruto and leave the village as the council's decision was law. The reason she doesn't come back for him is A. she knows he's under tons of surveilence and B. For all she knows Naruto resents her for leaving him. I have no doubt I'm gonna get an earful from Sandaime and Jiraya fans. To hopefully stem most of those. No I don't hate Jiraya or the third but looking at it from a logical stand point both are extremely incompetent. That's not to say that Cannon Tsunade isn't incompetent at some points but I her's isn't as glaring. Any way, Like always feedback is appreciated. Take care.


	8. Where Loyalties Lie

Ch.8 Where Loyalties Lie

The trip back to Otogakure was a quiet one. Naruto, though he did his best not to show it, was emotionally drained. He had gone for about half a decade without having to experience more than one or two feelings a day. The anger, remorse, and pain that had highlighted the stint in wave country had run the boy's mind ragged. The rest of the group kept quiet as not to raise the obviously troubled nin's ire. As they passed through the gates of Oto however, Tayuya asked a question that had been on her mind since hearing about the blond enigma's past with the only female sannin. " Hey Naruto, does Orochimaru-sama know about your relationship to Tsunade?"

" No and if you want to keep your tongue he won't find out about it." This answer surprised everyone save Kyuubi. While the coldness of the answer was expected, Naruto was never one to threaten people easily, if he said it, he meant it.

" B-but why? He could help you find her. You'd be able to see her again. Think of what it would mean for Oto." This statement was answered with a blast of killer intent that Tayuya had only felt the first time she had met the Kyuubi and insulted her in front of Naruto.

" What makes you think that I would allow my Kaa-san to be used as another pawn of the Snake!? I'd sooner skin the bastard, than let him use her in his games." Naruto snapped with a venom in his voice that was rarely heard. Without waiting for more conversation the blond sped ahead towards Orochimaru's office. Once he was out of sight the Kyuubi addressed the still stunned group.

"Don't mind that. Just for your own safety don't mention her around him o.k. He'll never admit it, but while not wanting Orochimaru's influence any where near her is a reason. His biggest reason is simply that he's afraid of finding her."

" Why would he be afraid?" asked Kin quietly.

" Afraid of rejection." answered the Kyuubi.

" but -"

" Think about it girl. When she loved him as her child, he was a human with a demon sealed inside him. Now he's a full fledged demon. His fear, however irrational it may be, is that his Kaa-san could never care for a demon. Not to mention the whole emotionally challenged problem. You think he doesn't know that there something wrong with not feeling things? She was very affectionate to him, he thinks that it would be wrong of him to find her when he can not only not feel the affection she gives him, but not return it either."

" Wow, leaf really screwed the kid over huh?" stated Zabuza as he looked at the spot where Naruto had once been.

" Yeah, I'm not even sure he knows to what extent he's damaged." answered Kyuubi. The group simply walked on to Orochimaru's office to give their reports.

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi had never been what people would call a fun-loving guy. He had lightened up after becoming a jounin sensei, that was true, hell he even embraced his inner pervert. But for the bulk of his life he was a stoic and serious individual. Still, after that fateful day nine years ago the village leader had become even more stoic than usual. Only warming up in the presence of his son, grandson, and his student Jiraiya. That day had gone down as one of the darkest in his lifetime, ranking right up there with the Kyuubi attack, the deaths of the Nidaime and Shodaime, and the defection of Orochimaru. He would never forgive himself for truly being willing to raise a hand against his female student, something he hadn't even done with Orochimaru. What truly hurt about that day was the fact that his students remarks towards him had all been true. He was never able to protect Naruto the way she did, and he expected to. In fact the day after she had left the village had thrown a party over the 'demon brat's' abandonment, a party in which three year old Naruto was drug into the street and beaten. Memories of such events had always riled up Sarutobi's conscience, such thoughts as ' these are the people you ruined your relationship with Tsunade over' would bounce around in his mind to the point of a breakdown in depression. 

Sarutobi's inner monologue was broken when his door swung open and in walked Yuhi Kurenai, and Hatake Kakashi along with Anko. "Ah, Kakashi, Kurenai, Anko, where are your teams?" The Sandaime was caught off guard by the tiredness in the voice of the copy nin.

" We sent them home, the mission wore them out. Hokage-sama we ran into some trouble over there."

" What kind of trouble Kakashi?"

" The 'Hakkyou no Oto' kind Hokage-sama." The old leaders eyes widened before he sat straighter.

" What happened?"

" It seems that our client's daughter had sent pleas for help to Otogakure. And in turn they sent a group led by Hakkyou No Oto. Sir as much as I don't want to be the one to tell you this. It's…it's…"

" Naruto is 'Hakkyou no Oto' Hokage-sama." stated Anko bluntly.

" What did you just say?"

" Naruto Uzumaki is Hakkyou no Oto, is every bit as strong as the rumors say, and is very angry with Konoha." gritted out Anko. The Hokage motioned for all three to sit down with a serious glint in his eyes that hadn't been seen in decades.

" Tell me everything." As the jounin began to give their reports, the wizened old man's heart clenched horridly when informed that Naruto remembered his separation from Tsunade. It nearly stopped when told about the Kyuubi's freedom, and actually did stop for a couple of seconds when told about the boy's mountain sized pile of disgust, resentment, and hatred for the village and Kyuubi's assessment of the boy's power. After sending the jounin out, not before seeing the glares sent by the two females, they had obviously lost a lot of respect for him, he put his head in his hands and sighed. To be honest he felt like weeping, but knew it would help nothing. As he looked up at the portrait of Minato Namikaze, he could have sworn his predecessor was glaring at him. His shoulders sagged further as he muttered, " some how I'm sorry doesn't seem like it will cut it."

" That's probably because it isn't." came a gruff voice.

"You're most likely right Jiraiya." The Sandaime only sighed as his student stepped out of the shadows and took a seat in front of his tired sensei.

" So you gonna tell the council?"

" No."

" Really?"

" Yes really. It's my job to protect this village and I would be willing to bet that the council would do something to put the rest of the village in danger. I can just see the fools sending assassins after him."

" You think you can keep this from them forever? Remember all the kiddies from the mission know. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if half the council knows already."

" Damn you're right." The Sandaime looked at his desk in thought. He then heaved a sigh that accentuated the man's weariness. " Jiraiya…we need Tsunade."

"Hah! Good luck with that request old timer." Jiraiya chuckled until his sensei looked up with the expression of a reluctant, yet absolutely serious leader. " You're serious?"

" Completely. We need her maybe we can get her to get Naruto back for us."

" She doesn't know he ever left. It will be the first time we've approached her since taking Naruto from her and you want me to ask her to help us get him back? C'mon sensei she'll rip my spine out."

" Jiraiya. This is a mission of village wide importance. You are to bring back the wayward sannin Tsunade by any means necessary. Be it through bribery, lies, or even force if you have to. If anything we'll keep her in a jail cell as a deterrent from the boy's wrath." Tears glistened in the serious eyes of the Sandaime.

" You realize that if he hears about this it will definitely invoke his wrath right?"

" I'm sure the fools on the council will do that soon enough. This is our insurance policy."

" Sensei! This is Tsunade!"

" Jiraiya this is an order from your Hokage! I hate this just as much if not more than you do but it's all we can do now. We swore allegiance to Konoha not Tsunade, not Naruto, and not Minato!" The Hokage's voice cut through the room. His words slathered in a mixture of authority and guilt.

" Fine. You're right. But you're going to be the one to tell her what's really going on. I'm going to tell her that the village wants her to have Naruto back. No way I'm I gonna fight her if I can avoid it."

"Fine. Now go." as his last loyal student left the aged hokage felt the glare from his predecessors portrait intensify. Then glares from his mentors the Shodaime and Nidaime joined it, clearly angered at the treatment of their grand daughter/ grand niece. He dropped his face into his hands once more. " Heavens forgive me."

* * *

Orochimaru had just finished listening to the reports of the mission to wave country, and once again Naruto had done an excellent job. Acquiring the services of not only Momochi Zabuza, but also his skilled apprentice, all the while bringing the name of Oto into a heroic light, the young boy never seemed to disappoint. It was such a shame that the boy was not more devoted to him. He had taken the opportunity to inform Naruto that he would be participating in the upcoming chuunin exams, the boy had been reluctant but when the Kyuubi had mentioned a chance to visit Anko, Kurenai, and Hinata, he grudgingly gave in. After a few more minutes of discussion they had left. 

" Orochimaru-sama." came a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Kabuto. What is that you want?" The silver haired medic nin stepped out of the shadows to address his master.

" I'd like to know why you didn't tell Namikaze-kun about the invasion."

" That's simple. I intend to use the chaos of the invasion to nip the legend of 'Hakkyou no Oto' in the bud."

" You can't be serious?"

" I wouldn't jest about something like this. The boy has become too powerful, if he were to turn on us, there would be no stopping him."

" Surely he wouldn't turn on us. He's happy here."

" No, eventually those three leaf kunoichi would try to lure him back to Konoha, or at least away from us. Not to mention that the Kyuubi seems to be biding her time until turning on me. We know that she could easily convince the boy to do her bidding if she so wished."

"So you honestly think that she is simply manipulating him. I could have sworn there was genuine affection Orochimaru-sama." The snake sannin glared at the spectacled second in command.

" Are you questioning me?"

" N-no Orochimaru-sama, it's just that Naruto-kun is such a big piece of Oto. It would damage us greatly to lose such power. Besides, who do we have that could possibly match him. You said it yourself that the boy is on your level, so who?"

" I want you to train four Jounin to take the place of the sound four in holding up the barrier. All four of them at level 2 along with the ichibi vessel will surely be able to take him."

" What of the Kyuubi. And any whose loyalty may be to him."

" The Kyuubi seems to have lost all of her strength in order to gain freedom. Probably why she has to stoop to manipulation of the boy. She should be easy enough to rid. To my knowledge the only one that we have to worry about is Tsuchi Kin and she's but a mere gennin."

" So you really want to do this?"

" No. But sometimes a player must sacrifice the strongest of pieces in order to protect the king."

* * *

" Naruto-kun was threatening Tayuya really necessary." Kyuubi asked sweetly to the blond who was sitting with her back to back, penning a composition absently. He ignored the question for awhile before nodding absently. " It's not like she knew how you were feeling Naruto-kun. Oh well it's not my problem. Though she does bring up a good point. When are you going to search for your Kaa-san?" Her question was meant with silence. She sighed before turning around and wrapping her arms around the boy's torso. " You can't avoid it forever Naruto-kun." The boy again made no notice of the Kyuubi she was about to chastise him for ignoring her when a quiet whisper made it's way to her ear. 

" I'm scared."

" Naruto-kun…"

" What if she's like the others? What if she can't be mother to a demon?" Kyuubi wrapped her tails around the boy's frame before burying her face into his back murmuring quietly.

" She won't be. I promise you."

" I'm damaged goods. What could she possibly want with damaged goods."

" When people are broken you fix them Naruto-kun."

" And if you can't fix them?"

" You love the pieces. Naruto-kun I know you're scared but think about what Aoi said. Your Kaa-san misses you very much. She'll be so happy to see you. Don't you want to make her happy? She's in pain Naruto-kun can you let her hurt?"

"No."

" I can guarantee you Naruto-kun that she's just as scared of how you feel about her as you are about how she'll feel about you. Besides, if in the most miniscule of chances she doesn't love you. You'll still have me. I'm not going anywhere, and you'll never be alone." finished the Kyuubi as she held her love tight to her body. "So?"

" Tomorrow. We leave tomorrow."

* * *

**AN: There ya go next chapter done. Plots are being hatched and loyalties are being twisted. I'm glad that you all seem to be enjoying the story.I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always feedback is greatly appreciated. Take Care.**


	9. Shadow of a Doubt

Ch.9. Shadow Of A Doubt.

Dead flowers laid strewn about as far as the eye could see. Black clouds floating amongst the charcoal grey sky, slow heavy raindrops cascade from the heavens. Silence surrounds her. It is truly a horrid place, yet there is never any indication that her tired feet are carrying her any closer to the end. Then it starts…faintly at first. " aa- an…Ka - an…Kaa-s …K -san…" shallow cries never leaving the listener sure that they even really heard them. Then it thunders. "Kaa-san! Kaa-san! Kaa-san!" Her chocolate eyes widen in hysterics as she shoves her hands into pale blonde hair in an attempt to cover her ears. Anything to block out the blaring evidence of her failure, of her abandoning, of her betrayal. She has fallen to her knees by now looking around frantically, desperately looking for a way out of this place.

Then she sees him, her baby boy, all grown up The cries fade and she runs to him embracing him with all the love she would have showered him with had she never failed. The warmth is undeniable and everything is o.k. That is until she is shoved away, falling to the ground, her son's eyes wide in confusion. " Who are you?" Her heart nearly breaks, he doesn't recognize her? She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Instead she sees them, the shadowy figures that she knows by heart.

" She's the women who abandoned you to your life of misery."- her former father figure and sensei.

" She's the one who left you so that she could resume her gambling and drinking ways."- her supposed 'loyal' teammate.

" She's the whore that abandoned you even after telling me in prayers that you where to be the son we never had." - her dead lover.

" She was the one who failed you exactly as she failed me. Something she had promised my grave never to do."- Her dead brother.

" She's the one who couldn't prevent us from being separated ototo."- her apprentice.

" She's the one who would claim to be your mother, when it was I who was with you through it all. My child."- the demon fox that started it all. All of them whispered their taunts and lies into his ear even as she shouted her denials. Denials not heard as her son, her beloved child, spit on her as she lay at his feet sobbing, before turning and walking away. She cries her throat raw. Trying to bring him back, if only for one last hug. But he continues to walk through the rain disappearing into the distance. " Naru-chan!…Naru-chan!…Na-

* * *

"NARU-CHAN!!!" She shoots up in bed, covers flying around her. Her eyes swollen and her throat raw, once again she had cried herself to sleep. She frantically flipped on the lamp on the nightstand. As the pale yellow light bathed her half of the hotel room she was her eyes landed on her most prized possession. A framed '8x10' photograph of her, Shizune, and Naruto. She held the photograph tight to her body as shallow sobs escaped her. She made no notice of the person who sat on the bed next to her or her pet pig Tonton's concerned oinks. This was all so routine by now.

" You had that dream again." at the blond's nod Shizune only sighed before getting up to fetch some tea for her depressed master. These types of nights were common. Her master had a habit of clinging to the past, a bad habit considering just how warped her past was.

Tsunade and Shizune had wandered the elemental countries, trying, unsuccessfully, to put what happened in Konoha behind them. For Shizune it was a true test of her loyalty to her mistress, for as cold as Tsunade had been after the deaths of Nawaki and Dan, she grew even colder after her separation from her son. Most days she would spend in a drunken stupor gambling away money she didn't have. On the best days Tsunade would train herself and by extension Shizune, into the ground in order to never 'be that weak again'.

The two had kept tabs on Naruto via a few Konoha nin that sympathized with Tsunade that had acted as informants. However after the age of 5 Tsunade and Shizune could no longer bear the constant reports of Naruto's abuse, and stopped asking for them. Shizune walked back into the room to find her mistress asleep clutching the tear stained photo to her chest. The brown haired medic only heaved a weary sigh, sometimes she truly believed that a good portion of Tsunade died that day.

* * *

The next morning Tsunade and Shizune could be found at a little diner eating breakfast in silence. Neither of them mentioning the events of the night prior. For this Tsunade was grateful, it always angered her that she still felt such pain over Naruto. She had abandoned him, it was her fault, she had no earthly right to mourn the event. She failed, just like she failed Nawaki and just like she failed Dan. The only difference this time is that the person she failed was completely dependent on her, a truly innocent being. And the blame that she placed on herself would never leave her, part of her wanted to burn the village of Konoha to the ground to get her son back. However, another part, a larger part, was truly terrified of what Naruto's reaction would be if he ever saw her again. Would he be angry and leave her? Would he even recognize her? In all honesty Tsunade could never decide which would be easier to bear. Her thoughts faded when her normally calm assistant growled lowly, and almost invisibly reached for some senbon needle that she kept in her sleeves. "Tsunade-sama." the younger of the two medic-nin whispered coldly, as her dark eyes glinted in malice at something behind the blond sannin. Tsunade glanced into the polished surface of her drinking glass to find the reflection of a familiar, white-haired individual looking into the diner through the window.

Rage. It filled her veins, liquid fire coursing threw every inch of her body. A fire that grew into an inferno as Jiraya's face lit up in recognition of Shizune, and by association Tsunade. As he began walking through the door her hands clenched the small breakfast table, cheap wood splintering in the woman's grip. It was then that Jiraiya called out in a jovial tone as if he wasn't partly responsible for the taking away of her child that was when the legendary slug sannin acted.

_Definitely shouldn't have gone with the direct approach._ Thought the toad sannin as his teammate flung a dining table at him. He rolled out of the way only to escape through the windows that had been shattered by said table. Jiraiya had spent three weeks searching for his wayward teammate, using his spy network to every advantage he could. During those three weeks unbidden questions and guilt swam through his head. How was he even going to face Tsunade after their last encounter? Could he really lie to her about Konoha's intentions? Was he really willing to do this?

When these questions became to much to bear he would always remember his prized student. Minato had been willing to give not only his very life but the life of his only child, for the good of the village. Surely Jiraiya could never call himself a true protector of Konoha if he wasn't willing to give up his friendships for it. Hell, he'd even done it before with Orochimaru. A part of him always screamed that he was kidding himself, a part that he ignored by always reminding himself of his sensei's words. He swore allegiance to the village of Konoha.

Jiraya fled towards the outskirts of the small city along the borders of Fire and Rice country. He felt Tsunade's chakra signature giving chase and began thinking of a way to calm her down. If the confrontation got too heated then it didn't matter what lies he told because either he or she would be dead. This was something he had to avoid at all cost. If only because: A. He could not guarantee a victory in a fight to the death between himself and Tsunade. B. Killing her would defeat the purpose of finding her, and C. A fight of that magnitude would never be able to be covered up. This meant that Naruto would hear of it and would rain his wrath upon Konoha. Then again taking Tsunade was easier said than done. He was already at a disadvantage, he would have to fight this as a spar, trying to get Tsunade to yield. She would be going for the kill.

He turned to find his teammate bearing down on him, showing speed he didn't remember her having. As her fist sprung towards him, the chakra gathered in it radiating heavily, he flipped through some hasty hand seals before calling out "Hari Jizo! (Needle Guardian)" His white mane wrapped around him tightly before hardening. Jiraya didn't get the expected outcry of pain he was hoping for, instead with a thunderous boom the ground he was standing on cracked and shattered sending the old man tumbling. He recovered in time to jump away from another one of Tsunade's earth shattering punches. Soon the battle disintegrated into little more than a game of cat-and-mouse. With the toad hopping away from and out maneuvering the slug. All the while a tattered negotiation was taking place. "Tsunade wait! I didn't come her to fight!"

" That's right, you came here to die you traitor!"

" God damn it! Tsunade listen to me for one second, please!"

" You came here to ask me for something? Are you stupid?"

" Tsunade I promise you, you'll want to hear what I have to say!"

" I want nothing to do with you Jiraiya! I warned you I'd kill you!"

" It's about Naruto!" as soon as he said this the Toad sannin felt a fire erupt in his right knee. He looked down to see a senbon needle skewered through it and cursed. He had forgotten all about Shizune. He looked up to catch a chakra empowered elbow to the face, dazing him just enough for Tsunade to spin around locking his arms behind his back and pinning him to the ground. While he spit the blood out of his mouth Jiraiya made note of the fact that Tsunade had improved a good deal since he last saw her. The old Tsunade would have never even thought to use, much less try something as technical as the hold she had him in.

"Talk you worm! If you piss me off I'm telling you now Jiraiya, I will break every bone in your body before killing you." Tsunade snarled and applied some pressure to her former teammate's arm to prove her point.

"Damn it. They want you to have him back, they want you to be his mother again."

" Don't lie to me Jiraiya." snapped Tsunade

" No! It's true. After the recent council elections there where a lot of new civilian council members and sensei was able to get to them before the old war hawk Danzo could manipulate them." Jiraiya almost sighed in relief when the pressure on his arms relaxed a little. Only to yelp when it came back full force.

" You're lying. New council or not they still hate Naruto. What's really going on Jiraiya? This is your last warning." Tsunade increased the pressure and found some miniscule amount of pleasure in the low pop that was heard.

" Oh fuck! O-Orochimaru! O.k.! It's that damned snake! The Anbu have caught three spies all of them, who after some time with Ibiki, admitted that he's trying to have Naruto turn on the leaf!"

" It would be what they deserved!"

" Tsunade! Think about this for a second. It's Orochimaru, you know what he's like. He'll experiment on Naruto like there's no tomorrow, the kid's healing factor is that sick bastard's scientific dream come true." when the pressure once again began to lessen on his arm he went for the kill. " Tsunade, I know you hate Konoha, hell if anyone has a reason to it's you, but are you going to forsake you son because of it. Are you gonna let all those fool villagers be right when they taunt the poor boy about you not caring and abandoning him."

" No." Tsunade's mind was spinning but she knew in her heart of hearts that she would never be able to abandon her son again. She was about to release her former teammate when a question made it's way into her mind. " Jiraiya…how is Naruto?"

" It's hard to tell but it definitely isn't good. The boy's perfected this emotional mask of your loudmouth brat. He's got fake courage and false smiles down to a science. It's really hard to watch." The blonde sannin's heart clenched at Jiraya's words but soldiered on.

" Does…does he hate me Jiraiya? Does he resent me for leaving him?" the tremble that laced her words tore at the toad sannin's heart but he also steeled himself for doing what he had to.

" Honestly? I think he does Tsunade. Me and sensei as well as a few others try to tell him what really happened, that you were forced. But, when an entire village full of people taunt you daily about your mother abandoning you…the words of a few don't mean all that much." He felt his teammates tears rain down upon his back and felt himself tearing up but with a bite upon his lip held them in. He winced when in a abrupt shove he was face down upon the ground.

" Give me a couple of days Jiraiya…then I'm going to see my son."

" Tsunade we need to leave now." Mumbled Jiraya barely lifting his face from the ground.

" No. Give me some time. I need to prepare…just in case…in case he hates me." Jiraiya was about to protest when he could hear the muffled sobs of Tsunade. Knowing that pushing the subject was ill advised he only nodded grimly watching her walk away.

Tsunade had only been walking awhile when Shizune appeared beside her looking at her concernedly. The blond only wiped some tears from her eyes before flashing a sad smile at her apprentice. " I guess you should start packing."

" You really trust them Tsunade-sama?"

" No, but if this is all a ploy then they'll still have to let me see Naruto to pull it off. If anything else will grab him and take off. Though if he wasn't lying about Naruto resenting me…I'm not sure what I'd do."

" Why don't you ask your informant on the council. You know they monitor Naruto-kun's mental stability. Surely any grudges the boy carries would come up in the reports. If nothing else she could probably tell us what's going on."

"Good thinking Shizune. I just don't know if I want them to be lying or not."

* * *

On the opposite side of town three figures stood over looking the village from some trees. Two of the figures watched on as the third was concentrating deeply. As if flipping a switch she turned to look at the other two. " It's her. She's definitely in this town. Problem is, she isn't alone." One of the other jumped up and down excitedly while the other only continued to stare upon the village.

" Kaa-san." A quite whisper drifted in the wind.

* * *

**There you have it. Next chapter Naruto comes to town. I know some people wanted a grand sannin battle but I think that as Jiraiya established it couldn't have gone down like that. Well that's actually all for now so Take care.**


	10. Storm Clouds Rising

Ch.10 Storm Clouds Rising.

Tsunade glared at the table in a local tea house through red puffy eyes. In her hands was a crumpled letter from her informant on the council, elder council woman Koharu. The aged women had been one of Tsunade's mother's best friends and had filled the maternal void left in Tsunade's life when her mother died. The old woman had never been a big fan of Naruto, not out of spite for the Kyuubi but of the danger the boy could become due to the village's foolishness. When she first heard that Tsunade was going to adopt Naruto she was terrified of the possible danger Tsunade was in. Though when she was witness to just how much Tsunade cared for Naruto the elder woman changed her views on not only the arrangement, but Naruto as well. She had always remained loyal to Tsunade, she was one of the few on the council who remained whole heartedly against Tsunade's separation from Naruto. Remaining steadfast even when Sarutobi had caved.

He lied. That rat bastard of a 'teammate' had made her feel like complete and utter hell and it had all been a ploy. Konoha didn't want her to be Naruto's mother, her ex-sensei had wanted her to be their insurance policy. For the most part they didn't even know where her son was. Her harsh words to Sarutobi about his inability to protect her son nin years ago had come true. Her boy had been beaten and burnt at the stake, before being 'rescued' by Orochimaru of all people. Her son, her baby boy was THE Hakkyou no Oto. Her heart was torn in pieces. Did she want to go and burn Konoha to the ground now that they couldn't use Naruto against her? Definitely. Did she wanna go to Oto and find her son? Yes. Did she really want to see what that serpent of a sannin had molded her boy into? It didn't matter, he would still be her son. First thing was first however, to show her true traitor of a teammate that you do not piss off a grieving mother. The day Jiraiya arrived to 'whisk her away to see her son' there would be one less sannin in the world.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar melody made it's way to her ears. A melody that she had improvised 12 years ago to soothe her newly adopted son. Memories of the whiskered bundle of joy flashed through her mind. She looked to the source and saw a women that her perv teammate would have a stroke over. Her long red and black hair was being twirled around a slender finger as she hummed the melody that only herself, Shizune, and Naruto ever truly learned. Tsunade tensed, witnessing this stranger duplicate it perfectly raised her suspicion, and her ire. Perhaps it was forlorn hope or just plain paranoia that made her do what she did next but before she could think about it she leapt at the stranger pinning her to the table she was sitting at, all the while activating a chakra scalpel. As she held her glowing hand to the red head's neck, she made note that the stranger remained completely calm. " That song…how do you know it?" the beautiful blond growled menacingly, her ire was raised further when the red head had the gall to smirk at her.

" I learned it from a friend." replied Kyuubi confidently. She and Naruto had been searching for weeks for the wayward sannin. Before they left Oto, Naruto had made the point that they really had no way of finding Tsunade. So they enlisted the aid of the red headed medic nin, Karin, and her chakra tracking abilities. Karin was only two happy to help 'Naruto-kun'. Not only was the girl in debt to Kyuubi, she also seemed to be another that held affection for Naruto. Kyuubi didn't mind as much though, the demon would admit to liking the girl more than most. She found the girl's abilities useful and, if she had to be honest, found the girl's bi-polar personality entertaining.

Upon entering the town that the chakra tracking Karin said Tsunade could be found, Kyuubi had to fight tooth and nail to convince Naruto not to immediately confront Tsunade. Her victory came in citing that it would needlessly panic the blond sannin. This was not without ulterior motive on Kyuubi's part however, to put it simply the Kyuubi wanted to scout out Tsunade. Rejection from Tsunade would completely devastate Naruto and that was one thing Kyuubi would not allow. She had been following Tsunade around for the last two days utilizing different transformations to remain incognito. She had heard the discussion between Tsunade and Shizune about the contents of the letter and the leaf's ploy. It seemed her warning was not heeded, and she really didn't want to be the one to tell Naruto about what the leaf had planned. She was shaken from her thoughts by the bite of the chakra scalpel against her neck.

" Don't mess with me girl. Where'd you learn it?" hissed Tsunade.

" Like I said I learned it from a friend. He said he learned it from his mom." Seeing the blond women's eyes widen she pressed on. " Not everything is as they appear Tsunade-san."

" How do you know my name?"

" Far be it from me to not know the queen of slugs and elixirs, the only female sannin."

" Who are you? Why did you come here?"

" For some tea of course."

" Listen here little girl I am 10 seconds from ripping your throat out."

" Innocence rotted in the leaves, tainted, turning into insanity in the music box. A snake bent on the manipulation of insanity inside the sound, can never succeed. In the leaves an ape and a toad plot to acquire the slug in order to protect themselves from the insanity. Insanity it self seeks the approval of the slug so that the slug may remove insanity's taint letting innocence reign again." Finished Kyuubi with a smirk before disappearing into a swirl of Chakra." The suddenly alone Tsunade deactivated her chakra scalpel before heaving a sigh.

" What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

" Oh it's not really that hard to figure out is it Tsunade-san.? Surely motherhood was harder." Tsunade eyes snapped towards the entrance of the teahouse to see the curtains flapping in the wind.

* * *

" She could've at least numbed the pain." grumbled a discontent Jiraiya. It had been two days since his and Tsunade's little spat and his arm still freaking hurt. Remembering the fight led to Jiraiya remembering the tears shed by his teammate over his blatant lies. Jiraiya quickly shook those thoughts from his head, there would be plenty of time to feel guilty after she was back in Konoha. Instead he watched as the group of roughly two dozen Anbu, did light training exercises in refined unison. His sensei had sent them to play the part of an honor escort, though they also served the vital purpose of much needed back up incase things went south. Sannin or not no one could stand up to such an overwhelming force of skill and numbers. Hell if he were honest that large a group of Anbu would give even a kage a good fight. Sheer numbers were a powerful thing, but with it the skill of an Anbu? Good knowing you. Such a large advantage however still didn't ease his nerves. Tsunade was better than she used to be. No doubt the fruit of intense training. Something that he would admit he didn't do as much as he should. For the most part he was content with the power he had, and wanted to enjoy life. 

Jiraiya flickered out of few as he felt a foreign presence watching them all. He appeared behind the source brandishing a kunai only to find a grey furred weasel looking at him curiously. He sighed, the worry of having to fight Tsunade, was making him paranoid. As he leapt back to his spot he didn't see the weasel's eyes flash a smoky grey, before it dashed off.

* * *

"Tomorrow's the day." Tsunade declared to the dark as she lay in bed. Sleep was not going to come easily if at all that night. First her coming confrontation with Jiraiya. And then there was that mystery women who has something to do with her son. Her son. God it felt so good to think of him in a frame of thought that didn't involve past tense. Still for every ounce of happiness she felt at the prospect of finding her boy, pounds of doubt and despair weighed on her chest. What would his reaction be to her? For better or worse she was going to find out. 

"Hai Tsunade-sama." Shizune's voice answered through the darkness.

" You're not gonna object or anything. You don't usually go along with my plots so easily."

" No. Jiraiya-sam- Jiraiya went too far this time."

"Oh. Well, as long as we're on the same page."

" Tsunade-sama…"

" Yeah."

" We'll find him. Right?"

" Yeah."

* * *

Day light came, in the small town vendors where just beginning to stir but in a small field just west of town stood Jiraiya, with two dozen anbu flanking him. A swirl of leaves announced the arrival of their guests. Across from them stood Tsunade and Shizune both looking at the toad sage with barely hidden disgust. " So…you ready to go meet your boy Tsunade?" announced the toad sannin in a jovial tone. Or as jovial as one could be knowing that the person across from them would like nothing more than to rip one's spine out. 

" I still don't want anything to do with you bastard. Just take me to my son." before the group could move Shizune asked a seemingly innocent question.

" Jiraiya-sama if Hokage-sama was going to send you looking for us why didn't he send Naruto-kun with you? Surely it would have helped in avoiding such needless confrontations." Jiraiya gulped and quickly looked out of the corner of his eye to see the anbu all sharing glances at each other. He slowed to the point that he was walking beside the two medic-nin.

" His team's first C-rank mission turned into a fiasco in wave country so the whole team is on reserve for rest right now." he spoke in a low, conspiratorial whisper.

" Wave country? Wasn't there an incident with Hakkyou no Oto in wave a short while ago? Naruto-kun wasn't involved was he?" asked Shizune worriedly. Jiraiya for his part was inwardly cursing, the girl's innocent questions were hitting too close to home.

" Not a chance Shizune. Sensei wouldn't put the boy in a situation where he would be anywhere near that psycho. He did promise to protect him after all." answered Jiraiya dismissively not seeing Tsunade's increasingly tightening fist. The bastard had no shame. It spoke well of his skills as a shinobi that he could lie so convincingly to someone who knew him so well. Tsunade admitted that had she not known the truth she would have easily been swept up in his lies.

"Well at least there's that. It's a relief to think that my naru-chan wasn't near anyone as dangerous as that guy." Tsunade's voice laced in fake concern.

" Yeah I know what you mean. Did you know that it's widely believed that Hakkyou no Oto is still nothing more than a child. Imagine the shit that poor kid had to go through to turn out the way he did."

" Yeah, just imagine." answered Tsunade coldly. Barely reigning in the urge to yell hypocrite and cave in her former teammate's head.

" Well that's one plus of you going back with us. No the snake won't charm Naruto to Oto, and you won't have to worry about Naruto ever becoming another Hakkyou no Oto."

" Yeah…it's such a relief." growled Tsunade.

Before any more could be said Tsunade and Shizune were forced to leap away as a hail of kunai landed where they had just been standing.

" What the hell!?" exclaimed Jiraiya as he leapt towards the side. As if answering his question, a group of what Jiraiya estimated to be about 20 to 25 Anbu appeared in defensive positions around the group. " What the hell is gong on?"

" We'll take it from here Jiraiya-sama. " called out an anbu in a hawk mask.

" What are you talking about?" Jiraiya got the answer he was looking for when as a group everyone of the escort anbu quickly jumped in amongst the new comers. As one all of them dispelled a genjutsu over their mask to reveal the kanji for 'Ne' on the anbu's mask.

"Rouge sannin Tsunade. By order of Danzo-sama and Konoha's root…you are here by sentenced to death." The blond sannin only glared at Jiraiya.

"Betraying me again Jiraiya? Even Orochimaru only did it once."

" Tsunade I don't know what's going on. This is a misunderstanding."

" Just like you lying to me was a misunderstanding! You bastard! Do you have any idea how much it hurts to be told that your child resents, maybe even hates you. To truly believe, even for a second, that you may never hold your child ever again due to the lies of a village of fools. Fools that are the only reason you were ever forced to leave him behind in the first place! To know that someone who was like a father to you, views you as nothing more than a way to control your own child at best and an insurance policy at worst. To know that your child was taken by a man that frightens the hell out of you, and was transformed by said man into a being feared throughout the shinobi nations. I warned you twice. Once nine years ago, and again two days ago. You ignored them, you didn't leave me alone, and you pissed me off. Jiraiya. I'll kill you!" That was all the warning Jiraiya received before Tsunade was upon him.

* * *

**An: Yo! Sorry I havn't updated soon, and to be honest this chapter probably wasn't worth the wait to some of you. But things happen. Anyways, yeah I kinda cop'd out on the fight seen but this was more of a set up chap. I promise the next chap will hopefully be back up to par, and will definitely not take as long. Feedback is appreciated, Take care.**


	11. Where There's Smoke

Ch.11 Where There's Smoke…

It was only with reflexes honed after years of turbulent friendship with Tsunade, that Jiraiya was able to focus enough chakra to keep his head from being liquefied by the right hook of Tsunade. This didn't stop his jaw from shattering however, as he was shot back violently from the impact only stopping with the aid of a few trees.

Tsunade didn't have time to relish the feeling of causing harm to Jiraiya as she ducked under the blade of one of the now advancing anbu and came up with a strong uppercut, snapping her assailants neck. She rounded again slamming her fist into the ground sending a large shockwave at the large force of anbu ending their hope for an organized advance. Out of the corner of her eye she saw an anbu that had been trying to flank her fall after being blasted by Shizune's Dokugiri (Poison mist).

Shizune deflected a hail of kunai with her own hail of senbon. She wasn't as swamped as her sensei was, the anbu deciding that Tsunade being obviously the bigger threat, deserved more attention. At this Shizune smirked inwardly, they didn't count on just how motivating, guilt could be. For the short-haired medic nin, every Tsunade breakdown was a constant reminder of her own weakness. Guilt over being knocked out by that squad of anbu so quickly despite being the student of a Sannin. Thoughts that if she had been able to hold out for just a while longer then Tsunade would have come and they could have made their escape, often kept Shizune up at night. So she trained to the bone, and could now give Tsunade a decent fight. She'd be crushed of course but the point was that she could honestly hold her own.

The fight raged on. Tsunade and Shizune batting off anbu but never being able to truly turn the tide. Both were beginning to feel the effects of chakra and physical exhaustion. " Doton: Dai Jiware! (Grand Fissure)" with a slam of both palms into the ground a circle around Tsunade and Shizune who had jumped to her side upon hearing the jutsu. The earth shook as the ground within that circle cracked and collapsed within itself leaving only a small spire for Tsunade and Shizune to stand on. As the screams of the Anbu who were buried alive in the rubble ended Tsunade did a quick count to find that roughly twenty of the original 40 Anbu remained. It was then that she felt herself tugged into the air as Shizune jumped away from the spire pulling her with her. Tsunade looked back to the spire in time to see it crushed by a rather large orange toad before said toad disappeared into a plume of smoke.

Inwardly she cursed, she had been so satisfied with shattering the toad sannin's jaw she put him in the back of her mind. Now he was back relatively fresh while she and Shizune had just battled and were still in the process of battling a contingent of Anbu.

Tsunade charged Jiraiya, barely skimming under a blast of fire she planted an elbow into his stomach, a smile coming to her face as she felt a rib or two give way. She winced as Jiraiya responded with a knee to the gut. Jiraiya may not have had her fabled strength but the man was by no means a pansy when it came to his own strikes. He moved to knee her again when she caught his knee and unceremoniously flung the man away. Jiraiya landed and rolled to a stop. He looked up to find Tsunade bearing down on him with her signature heel drop. Tsunade screamed in pain as she felt the entirety of her right leg being lanced through in multiple places. She looked down to find her leg skewered by Jiraiya who had hastily preformed his Hari Jizo (Needle Guardian), he had only been fast enough to do it partially, but as was Tsunade's luck, he managed to generate it in the right spot. Despite the pain Tsunade reached down, in a move that showcased her hard earned speed, and restrained Jiraiya by the collar of his shirt before he had even realized she was moving at all. She smirked at Jiraiya, a move that was down right creepy seeing as her leg was still skewered on the toad sannin's hardened mane. " This Jiraiya is you clavicle." she clenched her hand around Jiraiya's collar bone. " Believed by many to be one of the easiest bones to break in the human body." with a smile plastered on her face, and a small amount of her famed strength, Tsunade snapped her former friend's clavicle. Jiraiya made a cross between a snarl and a cry in pain. But before he could recover he was yanked by the collar of his shirt again and sent into the air.

Tsunade let out a small grunt of pain as Jiraiya's hardened hair was torn from her flesh as she chucked the toad sannin behind her, smirking when she heard the sound of him colliding with the anbu that had been trying to attack her from behind.

She took a second to check on her apprentice to find Shizune fending off her attackers. The anbu were only sending one or two people at a time to fight her apprentice, most were simply standing, observing their comrades' fights and looking for their spot. It was classic anbu training, you kept yourself fresh, and waited to end the fight as efficiently as possible. She was taking in her companions ragged appearance when she leapt into the air to avoid a handful of kunai that had been thrown at her, making sure to snatch one of the more sadly thrown blades from the air. As she fell from her initial leap she returned fire at her attacker, embedding the kunai in her assailant's neck. During her descent she sought out Jiraiya, there was no way she was going to forget about him again.

As soon as she hit the ground she dashed at her former teammate only to have him evade her. She dashed at him again only for the same thing to happen only this time he tried to hit her with a ranged fire jutsu. Once again Jiraiya had degraded their battle into a game of cat and mouse. He was content to hurl ranged fire jutsu and hails of kunai at her while avoiding direct combat. He was gonna out jutsu her. Inwardly, Tsunade acknowledged the brilliance of the strategy of evading and tiring out the close ranged fighter. Didn't mean it didn't piss her off though. Outwardly she smirked however when Jiraiya's progress was halted when an earth clone that she had henge'd into a stone earlier appeared behind the sannin and wrapped her arms around Jiraiya's torso, bringing her hands together behind his back and flashing through hand signs. "Ji Jin Ochiiru (Suicide Cave-in)" The fighting stopped on the field as around the bushin and Jiraiya solid rock spiraled and rose around them forming a funnel with them in the center. Then the top of the towering funnel of rocky earth began to crumble with the jagged boulders falling inwardly crushing everything inside. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. As the smoke cleared Tsunade cursed when nothing other than rocks lay there, no sign of her adversary. She hadn't been naive enough to think that the move would kill Jiraiya but she was at least hoping to injure him enough to slow him down.

She leapt away from the spot she had been standing seconds before Jiraiya burst from the ground. The white haired shinobi seemed to be disoriented a little, and sensing this Tsunade charged, enough chakra gathered in her fist to turn a human skull into mere powder. Jiraiya turned to find Tsunade come at him with a death blow radiating, forming some quick hand seals he slammed his hands into the ground. "Doton: Doryuheki!" (Earth Wall). As the wall of earth arose in front of Jiraiya, Tsunade was instantly on alert, Jiraiya was more devious than what he was showing. She knew for a fact that the toad sannin was a cunning fighter. Hell if she were to be honest he was just plain a better ninja than she was. Well at least he was. She now had nine years of despair driven training to her name. And while she would never be stupid enough to think that that would guarantee a victory, she knew that her teammate lived his live in a semi-retired state. At the very least she had pulled even with her teammates strength. Still, she was too far into her charge to stop, and as she burst through the earthen barrier like it was cardboard, she winced as her alarm had been proven right. Though the wince could have also been due to being struck by the dragon shaped blast of earth that was waiting for her on the other side of the wall. She cried out as the impact of the mammoth earthen beast drove her back well over 30 feet. When she landed she didn't feel the bite of hard earth but rather the sloppy cushioning that anyone who had fought the toad sannin more than once knew. The slug sannin found herself snuggled in the gelatinous embrace of Jiraiya's signature Doton jutsu, the Yomi Numa (Swamp of the Underworld).

Battle once again ceased as Jiraiya walked to the edge of the swamp staring at the injured Tsunade who glared defiantly at him despite being trapped shoulder deep in the abysmal muck. " That's enough of this Tsuande. It's over. Come back to Konoha." by voice alone Tsunade could make out her teammates physical and mental pain.

" If I ever go back to that place it will be to spit on it's burning ashes Jiraiya." growled the blond.

" You'd let Orochimaru use your son to destroy the village your grand father and great uncle built?" he was met with a laugh.

" You are gonna try to guilt trip me? You? A man who's broken every promise he's ever made in the past?"

" For the good of the vill-"

" Oh shut up Jiraiya. Village this, village that. Does your duty to your village keep you warm at night Jiraiya? That village isn't what my family wanted. Since when did your duty cost you your soul? I thought we vilified places like that. Iwa, Kumo, we've spent decades calling them wrong for putting the village before it's people. So how are you and sensei any different. You're a god damn hypocrite is what you are."

" Tsunade just give up. Please. Comeback to the village. Naruto might come back peacefully if he knows you're there." a few tears welled in the toad sannin's eyes.

" Forget it. I may not be able to see Naru-chan again, but I'll never let myself be used as a detriment against him. I couldn't allow myself to be responsible for any more of his pain. So if you're gonna kill me then do it!" Jiraiya stared down at his former teammate before sighing and gathering chakra in his right hand. The chakra began to spin and soon formed one of the signature moves of the Yondaime, the Rasengan.

" This is it then. For what it's worth Tsunade, I still consider you one of the best friends I've ever had. I'm sorry."

" Fuck you Jiraiya." was all the blond had to say before her teammate leapt at her, the whirring ball of chakra poised to end her life. Time slowed, she could make out Shizune desperately trying to make it towards her, only to have anbu after anbu try to cut her off. Her glowing death sentence was closer now only a few feet in front of her. Surprisingly acceptance of what was about to happen was the predominant feeling throughout her mind. Sure she wouldn't be able to see her son again, but that just meant that she could delude herself into assuming that he still loved her and never be proven otherwise. Her thoughts were interrupted when a flash of gold flew over head, she looked up to see a golden crescent of chakra strike the Rasengan that had been baring down on her.

The explosion rocked the entire battlefield, sending both Jiraiya and Tsunade flying. Tsunade landed in a heap some ways away from where she had originally been, whimpering pitifully. Pain was the only thing she felt, and while shinobi life had given Tsunade a high tolerance for pain, the scale of which this round was on was ungodly. Still, she thought, she was alive. What ever it was, it had saved her. For now, she predicted bluntly as she took in the damage, she was torn up, bones were broken, that was a given. Her entire torso was marred with deep wounds and lacerations, that would no doubt have killed lesser ninja. Even now she still couldn't deny the fact that if left untreated she was going to bleed to death. This brought her to her next and more pressing problem, her arms were broken and burned severely the strength of self preservation was an amazing thing and as a testament to that thought she had been able to rip her hands from the embrace of the swamp. With out time to do much else she had used her arms to shield her face and head from the explosion. They hung limply beside her even as she tried with all her might to pull her self up. She looked up to find Jiraiya relatively unharmed, something she couldn't believe until it clicked. He had made a clone while underground, the Jiraiya that was going to deal her death blow had been a clone. Of what type she didn't know but that was the only logical explanation. With the Rasengan in hand there was no way Jiraiya could have had time to even use Kawarimi to escape the blast. Fucking cunning bastard.

" Who the hell are you?" Jiraiya called out to someone that was out of Tsunade's view. Tsunade rolled over painfully and looked over to see a rather tall and broad shouldered figure, standing quietly. That was the only distinguishable trait she could find as the figure was covered in a dark gold and black hooded cloak. As if in answer to Jiraiya's inquiry the figure threw a handful of senbon at the toad sannin, something that Jiraiya dodged easily not catching the glint in the sunlight that Tsunade saw. Jiraiya was about to shout another question when a biting pain erupted in his arms and legs. He looked down to find the same senbon that he had dodged not seconds before. Only this time he saw the razor thin steel ninja wire attached to them. Before the toad sannin could think, he saw it coming, a surge of golden chakra flying down the wires strait at him. The toad sannin was soon crying out in pain when the chakra wrapped it's way around him delivering a devastating shock. Every muscle in his body clenched and cramped as the electricity lit his body ablaze in pain. As he fell to his knees he felt his muscles lock tightly in pain. The electric chakra not easing up on his body.

" You dare interfere in the matters of Konoha!" cried out one of the anbu who had just watched the last loyal sannin be neutralized in a single jutsu. The figure only turned it's head to stare at the anbu before releasing the wires and ending the shocking of Jiraiya as it leapt towards the fallen Tsunade.

Said blond only looked up exhaustedly at the figure, who's face was still perfectly obscured in the shadows of the hood. The figure knelt down and pressed something into the hands of Tsunade, her brown eyes fell to her hands to see an exquisitely crafted steel rose pressed in her palm. Delirious in pain and fatigue, she let out a small smile at what had to be one of the strangest things to ever happen to her on a battle field before the corners of her vision began to pulse. Realizing that she was getting into the critical stage in the process of slowly bleeding to death she quickly resumed her desperate attempts to move her arms to make the hand seals necessary for her Infuin: Sozo Saisei (Shadow Seal: Genesis Rebirth). However, despite the pain that she felt from the ferocity of her attempts her arms remained unresponsive. Panic was starting to set in, in her pain induced grogginess she only managed to whimper out a small "Naru-chan." before she passed out.

"You might want to help her." stated the cloaked figure in a smooth voice while looking at Shizune and apathetically pointing at the downed form of Tsunade.

" Don't ignore us!" the anbu member tried to leap at the new comer only to fall flat on his face as a familiar glint around his ankle revealed that he was wrapped in wire similar to that of Jiraiya. In almost perfect unison all of the anbu checked themselves to find that they were all bound in some way or another by a single wire that led into the left sleeve of the figure. They hastily began trying to cut at the wire.

Shizune who had used the distraction to reach her master had to hold back tears at the state of her long time companion. The damage was way too extensive for Shizune to have healed, perhaps if she hadn't just been in a fight with a squad of anbu she could have done some thing. Unfortunately her master's only hope was her shadow seal and with Tsunade unconscious and unable to use her arms it to was out of the question. For a split second the familiar pain of guilt over her perceived weakness made it's way through her, before concern for Tsunade slapped her back into reality. Out of ideas and chakra to put any that she could have thought of to work, hysterics set in. The dark haired medic nin pulled the limp form of Tsunade into her lap crying out for her to wake up and activate the seal. Her hysterics ended when the cloaked figure yank the body away from her. She was about to protest when the figure spoke, in what Shizune absently noted as a decidedly male voice. "This is a containment seal. Is it not?" Shizune only nodded dumbly. "I take it whatever gets released will save her?" Shizune only nodded and watched on as the figure flashed through some hand seals before muttering something she couldn't determine.

She watched as the unique golden chakra flared in the figure's hands before he pressed his palm firmly against Tsunade's seal. Her master's eyes shot open and she let out a blood curdling shriek of pain. Shizune was about to attack, her master's assailant when Tsunade's cry's stopped and the familiar markings of her activated shadow seal spread throughout her body, only this time the usually violet colored markings appeared in dark gold.

Tsunade was torn on what to feel. She was relieved at the familiar feeling of her shadow seal working it's magic. However that feeling was mixed and at some points over powered by the strange foreign chakra that worked it's way through her system. It left a tingling, almost shocking sensation throughout her body. She quickly pulled herself up, and regretted it immediately. She felt the strain of both physical and chakra exhaustion working against her. Apparently she had been injured even worse than she had first thought if even after the release of her seal she was drained of chakra. Ignoring the cry of happiness from Shizune, she turned to the cloaked figure. Tsunade could feel the apathetic stare being leveled at her. She was about to interrogate the figure when one of the anbu successfully freed himself from the wire and with a war cry charged the newly revitalized Tsunade. Tsunade turned and readied her fist to dispatch her attacker when a spike of earth shot out of the ground in front of her lancing through the anbu's head. " You're here." Tsunade whipped around at the sound of the figure's voice only to find a second and much smaller cloaked figure standing perfectly balanced on his shoulder.

"Hai." came the second figure's voice, labeling her a child, a little girl.

" So does that mean?"

" Hai." Without warning both figures turned to Tsunade, and the larger figure simple bowed his head slightly.

" Happy reunion." with that the earth itself opened up and swallowed the duo leaving no trace that they ever even existed.

Tsunade didn't have time to contemplate what had just happened as a dramatic surge of chakra exploded around Jiraiya. She turned quickly to find the area bathed in smoke, a familiar figure rising from it. Not hesitating for a second Tsunade flashed through some hand seals to match the jutsu. Soon after the pillars of smoke cleared, the battled field was dominated by two of the most revered and feared summons throughout the five shinobi nations. Jiraiya stood shakily atop the toad boss himself, Gamabunta. Tsunade, with Shizune by her side, was crouched on a knee having used more precious chakra, under them the ever loyal slug leader Katsuyu. " **Tsunade, it's been a while**."

" That it has Katsuyu. I'm sorry that I have to call you into the middle of such a battle, but revenge is in front of us, staring us in the face." The slug boss looked across the field to find Jiraiya and Gamabunta, she then leveled what could have been either a hateful glare, or a hard stare but either way it got the point across.

" **No worries Tsunade, I only wish you would have summoned me sooner**." the usually benevolent summon stated coldly. She learned about what had happened between Tsunade and Konoha a month after it had happened. Needless to say the slug boss was enraged and had pledged her loyalty to Tsunade, despite her split from the village. She had even went as far as to completely cut off any interaction between the slug and toad summons.

" **Jiraiya! What the hell did you summon me for!? And why the hell are Tsunade and Katsuyu glaring at us like that? How many times do I have to tell you that if you piss her off with your peeping to leave me the hell out of it!**" Jiraiya was nervous, he had never told the toad boss what had happened for the simple fact that Gamabunta, like most summons, held their loyalty to a summoner not a village. No matter how good a friend Gamabunta was to Jiraiya, the toad boss had favored Minato more as a summoner. If Jiraiya told Gamabunta what had happened between him and Tsunade and by extension him and Naruto, he wasn't sure how the toad boss would respond, but he would most definitely be pissed.

" Bunta I just need your help for this fight.

" **You want to fight Tsunade. What the hell is going on**!"

" Bunta I promise to tell you everything after this fight. I need you Bunta."

" **Fine but afterwards I want the whole story. If you lie to me or I don't like it I'll crush you, you hear me?**"

" Thanks, Bunta."

" **Don't thank me yet. I really don't like this.**" the toad then turned his attention to his adversaries. " **Tsunade, Katsuyu…I don't know what's going on but I will aid my summoner.**"

"**Choosing sides in a conflict one knows nothing about. truly foolish Gamabunta.**" had the situation not been so serious many of the occupants of the battlefield would have gaped at the unusual bravado of the normally polite slug boss.

" **Foolish or not Katsuyu…here I com-**" the toad boss was cut off as rumbling tremors rocked the battle field.

A bright flash erupted from the forest to the side of the mighty summons. As one every occupant on the battlefield, was treated to a bout of blood chilling nostalgia. The unforgettable malice-laced killing intent swirled around them as if it were the wind itself. A terror inducing roar thundered across the landscape. Bursting forth from the dense forest to their right the massive form of the Kyuubi snarled at them. It's scarlet coat reminiscent of the one thing that was certain with the legendary creature present…blood…it would be shed. Jiraiya wanted so badly to believe it was a genjutsu, especially after hearing the reports of the jounin involved in the wave mission. However all hope for that outcome was shattered as atop the mighty beast itself, donning the crimson garments of Hakkyou no Oto, stood the Yondaime's legacy himself.

Naruto glared down heatedly at the scene before him. His blood was ablaze as he saw the ragged and weary forms of his mother and sister. The blond fox demon had gone through a gauntlet of emotions that day.

* * *

**Flashback**. 

He had woken up earlier than his two traveling companions. And after prying himself out of the Kyuubi's vice like grip after she had cuddled up to him in his sleep…again. He still could never figure out why she did that but still he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy it. It made him feel warm. Not the phantom heat that haunted anyone who had ever survived being the kindling for a flame, but a fuzziness, a comfort that he enjoyed thoroughly.

He had gotten ready for his step forward, today was the day that he was going to confront his Kaa-san. He knew that Kyuubi would have her objections but he was tired of waiting. His fears of rejection were tearing him apart and if he didn't make his move soon he was going to be to frightened to. He had been drinking some tea, provided by the inn that they were staying at, with Karin conversing quietly. Naruto for one couldn't figure out the redheaded medic. At times she was as aggressive in her affections as anyone he had ever seen, yet at other times she was as calm and cool a customer as he was. He did however appreciate that, with what he guessed was a perception granted to those in the medical field, she knew when he wanted to be alone, and gave him the space he needed.

Their conversation had been interrupted when a small hooded figure appeared in the window of the room the trio were sharing. The figure had automatically set Naruto on edge, but not because he felt threatened. It was more due to the feeling of familiarity, of kinship that he felt towards the stranger. He was about to address the figure when it spoke in the voice of a child. "My identity is of no importance as of yet. I have come to inform you that Tsunade of the sannin and her associate are currently engaged in battle with Jiraiya of the sannin and a force of roughly 40 anbu members. They our currently three miles east of town…do with this information as you wish." with that the figure was gone.

Needless to say the identity of the figure was the last thing on Naruto's mind. With out a second thought he dashed out the window and headed east. Soon enough Kyuubi and Karin had caught up to him, or rather the got within shouting distance. When he was getting close towards the battle zone he saw the massive forms of Gamabunta and Katsuyu, he slowed a few steps. " Kyuubi, true form now! Karin find and take care of my Kaa-san and nee-chan." he barked, though his voice wavered while giving the second order.

" Naruto-kun I'll help them to the best of my abilities." answered a dead serious Karin. She had heard the waver in Naruto's voice. There was no way she was going to let him down. She split off from the group as Kyuubi was enveloped in a flash of chakra.

**End Flashback.**

* * *

While Naruto's rage was burning it's way through his body, he could not shake the ice cold fear that tore at him. Fear that doubled in strength when he and his mother locked gazes. After a few terrifying seconds he broke the connection and turned his attention to the ones who would dare hurt his mother. The men who were already dead, but didn't know it yet. He looked from Jiraiya and Gamabunta to the now cowering 17 anbu members that had survived his mother and sister and frowned. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. Every one waited on bated breath to see what was to come of the new arrival. 

Tsunade for her part was numb. She was ecstatic to see her son, yet she was terrified. She felt every emotion imaginable, yet felt nothing, her mind swarmed, but was completely blank. It was just so surreal, as if she was looking at the events through a stranger's eyes. The few seconds that she had made eye contact with Naruto had almost set her soul ablaze. All she knew is that when everything was said and done, her life was never going to be the same after this day.

The tension in the clearing skyrocketed further when the killing intent rose to ungodly heights. Naruto looked up from his thoughts his eyes blazing the same scarlet as the chakra that whipped throughout the clearing. Finally he settled a glare upon the stupefied anbu. "None of you will leave here today." he stated in a frigid tone. Without warning he leapt of off the Kyuubi at his family's assailants. As he plummeted he flashed through a series of hand seals. "Kuro Kaijan Arashi. (Black Ash Storm)" The anbu who had just seconds before been frozen in fear and trepidation, reacted on trained instinct and leapt away as the stream of superheated black ash rained down upon them. All but 4 of them escaped the jutsu, the pained screams of the unlucky ones making them happy they were able to. They didn't have time to ponder their luck however as another stream of ash came at them catching another unfortunate anbu before he could react. The skin being burned from his bones. After dodging the second blast the remaining dozen anbu members were quick to take the offensive swarming at their opponent though the ease of which their opponent avoided their attacks disheartened them quickly. Naruto ducked under a sword swipe before leapt backwards hands already blurring through hand seals. "Iki Jigoku (Hell on Earth)" the anbu tensed as fiery crevices erupted around them releasing a symphony of blood chilling and inhumane screams as burnt skeletal hands sprung forth binding their hands and feet. The smell of burnt bones wafted through the air.

Jiraiya could barely believe seeing his 'reinforcements' being effectively handled by a single person. " Bunta, we gotta help the-" the toad sannin was cut off as the gargantuan amphibian beneath him leapt into the air to avoid the famed tails of the Kyuubi. Tails said to cleave mountains, and spawn typhoons with but a swipe and a flick.

" **You will not interfere. Simply watch and wait your turn**." came the low growl of the mighty fox demon as it's tails continued to shoot at the toad boss.

Naruto stared at the mask of the anbu that were now bound. He slowly began to make hand signs. "You have made a grave mistake in trying to harm someone I consider dear to me. A mistake I intend to make you pay for." this was met with loud insults and empty threats. " You will suffer. Surely you've noticed it by now? The second effect of the Igi Jigoku." as if triggered by the question itself the anbu did indeed notice it. Feeling. They could feel everything much more vividly. The gentle breeze felt like it was tearing their skin from their bones. The skeletal grips felt like vices and the heat from the openings in the ground was scorching. " You will feel every ounce of your punishment to the greatest degree possible. But take comfort in your knowledge that you will not suffer or die alone. Kokuangyou no Jutsu. (Bringer of Darkness Technique)." darkness spread and enveloped the anbu and Naruto leaving the others in the clearing to only wonder. As the mental night fell upon the anbu some began to scream out for forgiveness, fear of death breaking through even the most intensive mental training. Soon screams for forgiveness were overpowered by screams of unearthly pain. Slow, long, individual cries for mercy. One by one blood curdling screams rang out and were abruptly silenced, the sudden silencing being more terrifying than the screams themselves.

Fear. Fear of the unknown manner of their coming death. Fear of the unknown time at which their death would occur. It seeped it's way into the very souls of the bound combatants. Complete and utter fear over just the thought of one's continued exsistance. Hell had come to them that day.

As the screams began to fade in frequency the darkness began to lift and the bystanders were treated to the gruesome sight. Body parts and blood painted the ground like a nightmarish canvas. Naruto emerged from the quickly fading darkness, the artist behind the gruesome work of art. Naruto walked away from the horrific surroundings with nonchalance practically oozing from him. Held against his shoulder was a sinister looking axe, the dripped menacingly with blood. The axe itself was around three feet in length with a wickedly, yet beautifully serrated blade. The reverse of which was barbed, and spiked, made to shred and tear. While the occupants looked on, Naruto raised his head to stare into the eyes of Jiraiya, crimson eyes ablaze.. "Nice to meet you…Kyoufu (Godfather)."

* * *

**An: Yo I know it's been awhile but hopefully this chapter makes up for not only the wait but the weakness of ch.10. As I'm sure you can tell I write combat scenes in a slightly different manner than what is normally seen on this site. I guess It's just that I'm to impatient to do the tried and true " Tsunade did this jutsu...Jiraiya did that jutsu...Tsunade countered with this other jutsu...etc." Don't have the patience and Anyone who has been in any combat situation from soldiers, to people who have gotten into a small brawl at school, know that combat simply isn't that cut and dry. Theirs momentum, and most of the time one fights in a summerized manner. You don't remember or think about every single thing you did. Just the spots were you were winning or losing. Some of you also may be wondering about the hooded figures, maybe even angry at their inclusion at all but I promise they are O.C.s that are of genuine importance to the story.And if that doesn't cool you off then screw it it's my story so Nyah! God I can't believe I wrote that. Any way, this will probably anger some of you but I'm taking a small two week Hiatus from this story. Then again with the amount of time it's been taking me to update recently you might not even notice. I just need to clear my head for awhile so that I can pick up again nice and refreshed. Besides fans of my other stories have suffered so much (Those poor, poor, Treasures Ignored fans.) But I promise to be back on the 20th at the absolute latest. Ok. As you know feedback is appreciated. Take care everyone.**


	12. There's Fire

Ch. 12 …There's Fire.

"**Jiraiya what did that gaki just say?" **The toad boss's question was met with tense silence from his summoner. **"Jiraiya?" **growled Gamabunta . Again he was answered with silence. **" Who is he Jiraiya and why the hell is the Kyuubi here? If you don't answer me I'll leave you on your own I swear to Kami!" **The landscape trembled slightly due to the bass in the toad boss's roar.

" It's Naruto, Bunta." Jiraiya's voice was laced with a plethora of emotions and tones. " Minato and Kushina's boy. Tsunade's adoptive son. And the container."

" **Why the hell are we apparently fighting to the death against Tsunade and Minato's kid Jiraiya?" **growled Gamabunta coldly.

" Does it matter Bunta? Their the enemies right now. I told you I'd explain it after we're out of here."

" **No! Screw that! That was before I found out that I would be fighting not only Minato's kid, but also the freaking Kyuubi no Kitsune Jiraiya! Need I remind you of what happened last time I was on the same battle field as that fucking fox!"** roared the gargantuan amphibian as he gestured towards the massive scar that adorned his face. **" And that was just from avoiding the fox enough to buy Minato some time. You're asking me to directly engage the strongest being in existence without giving me a reason!"**

" They're all major threats to the security of Konoha!" Jiraiya's tone was cold yet tones of uncertainty riddled his declaration.

" **What the hell are you talking about Jiraiya? It makes no sense! You're leaving something out. I can feel it. Details damn you!"**

" **What the foolish excuse for a man is afraid to tell you is that Naruto has gotten to strong for the leaf's liking. You see toad, Naruto was rescued from death by the hands of the villagers and taken from the village. Now his power is making Konoha nervous so they sent Jiraiya to capture Tsunade in an attempt to get the boy under their thumb or at least to use as the proverbial human shield against his supposed wrath. Or at leat that was the monkey's plan. Though judging from the anbu, apparently killing Tsunade to keep her from joining Naruto is considered an acceptable alternative to some."** Growled out the Kyuubi much to the dismay of Jiraiya and the shock of Naruto and Gamabunta.

" **Is it true Jiraiya?"**

"…Bunta."

" **Is it fucking true Jiraiya!? Yes or no!?"**

" …It's true."

" **Why? Why would you do such a thing? How could you? You know how many times I heard you tell Minato he was like a son to you!? What the hell are you doing to his child?" **Gamabunta's eyes glinted into a steely glare at nothing before he sighed wearily."**Anyone…if you were anyone else I'd kill you myself Jiraiya. For old time's sake I'm gonna try to get you out of here alive. After that…don't you ever summon another toad again unless it's to show us that you've reconciled with Tsunade and the kid. From the weakest messenger to the highest elder, if you summon any of them and it isn't to celebrate reconciliation…I'll kill you myself."** The frigid and quiet tone of the usually boisterous Gamabunta sent a hard chill down the spine of Jiraiya. Before he could even think of making a counter argument, he finally noticed what everyone besides himself and Gamabunta had noticed since the explanation from the Kyuubi. A cackling storm of energy forming around Naruto.

Unbridled fury blazed through the veins of Naruto. He had known Konoha was a vile and despicable place but to degrade someone as great and loved as his kaa-san to nothing more than a bargaining chip? It burned even more that the idea came from Sarutobi, a man that he had by and large considered a grandfather. An estranged grandfather with all that had happened between them, but a grandfather none the less. For the first time in a long time he genuinely wanted to destroy Konoha for what they did to him. That isn't to say that he hadn't often entertained thoughts of burning the village to the ground, but even then it was due to his belief that the world would be a better place without it. Never had he just blatantly wanted revenge upon the people. Until now. With a low growl that soon turned into a bestial roar a cyclone of youkai formed around him the killing intent rising to crippling heights for even the sannin. In a landscape rocking explosion of chakra Naruto appeared, demonic features and all, his tails billowing gracefully, crimson eyes glaring up at the gaping toad sannin.

What the hell had happened to her Naru-chan? Tsunade couldn't stand to see her son in such a state. It was so hard to take, to see a child that used to be unable to sleep unless her arms were draped around him, become this…demon. She was terrified, and try as she might she couldn't keep the expression from her face.

Unfortunately it was at this time that Naruto realized that he had just revealed his new demonic heritage to his kaa-san, he looked to find a completely horrified expression on her face and felt his heart frost over immediately. It wasn't supposed to be like this…if anything Kyuubi promised it wouldn't.

How could it have happened? It was then that a cold revelation fell upon Tsunade. Orochimaru. As much as Jiraiya had in fact lied to her, her son had indeed been in the clutches of that monster for a long time. No doubt he had tried to turn her son into one of his minions. And it was almost guaranteed that the snake had…experimented. That thought brought out a whole new emotion in Tsunade.

Naruto watched as the already unbearable expression of terror vanished off of his mother's face. Only to be twisted and warped into the thing he had feared the most in this situation. Uncontained, and unequivocal hatred. His frosted heart was now encased in ice. They had been right, the trash villagers had been right. She wouldn't be mother to a demon. Were they all true? All the hateful things his tormentors had said that he had chalked up to hateful lies? Had she never loved him as a child, only pitied his situation? Had she only taken him in, in order to gain access to his inheritance? It didn't matter now, he would protect her here if only as a thank you for the pleasant memories and then he would never bother her again.

During this time Kyuubi had sensed her Naruto-kun's distress and despair, and turned to observe the apparent hatred of Tsunade. Sadness had been the emotion that had rang true in her. Not anger, over Tsunade's actions, not disappointment in her folly. Sadness in just how much damage this was going to cause Naruto. Just how much pain her faith in Tsunade had inflicted upon the one she loved. She glared and let out a growl at the slug sannin.

A growl from the Kyuubi snapped Tsunade from her thoughts on what Orochimaru may have done to her boy. She looked up to find, to her horror, that Naruto was staring at her with the most heartbroken and hurt expression she had ever seen. She quickly looked around to find that the Kyuubi was glaring at her, and that Shizune and even Jiraiya were looking at her in a mixture of shock and disappointment. It was then that it struck her, like a lightning bolt of Kami's wrath, she had broken one of the cardinal rules of the shinobi and let her emotions get the better of her. And in doing so, looked her beloved son right in the face with an expression he had seen only from villagers that detested his very existence. The thought was like a blade through her heart. She didn't deserve him, not at all. She had let him down and abandoned him nine years ago and the very first time they see each other since then she hurts him again. As she made to explain herself when Naruto turned from her to stare back at Jiraiya. The moisture that flew from his eyes as he turned, shattered her heart more than even his cries as she walked away all those years ago ever did.

Jiraiya watched as the crimson orbs of his godson hardened and leveled a furious glare upon him. "Die." His throat tightened when the axe that was in Naruto's grasp began to glow a deep crimson, and power rolled off it in waves. The super charged axe was engulfed in chakra and with out another word the fox demon flung the ominously glowing axe towards the feet of Gamabunta.

" Bunta jump!" the gargantuan amphibian obliged. As toad and summoner took to the sky they looked down to see that around the point in which the axe struck the ground an area roughly twice the size of Gamabunta glowed red before exploding into a sea of intense flames the earth itself melting amongst the chaos. As the duo landed a few meters away from the fiery lake of molten earth they had to take to the sky again to avoid the tails of the Kyuubi, there was no rest however as the Kyuubi, with Naurto still standing nonchalantly atop it's head, leapt into the sky in pursuit. Gamabunta quickly unsheathed his blade to block the tails that shot out at him again. The two gargantuan beast landed and leapt over and over again, sending earthquakes throughout the landscape. A game of avoidance and pursuit.

Tsunade watched as her son, atop the most feared being in existence chased her traitorous teammate. She quickly came to the conclusion that she had to help, it was her fight not Naruto's. However as she made to stand her body clenched in pain, the debilitating strain of physical and chakra exhaustion making itself known. She was about to ask Katsuyu to aid Naruto when a hand fell on her shoulder. She wheeled around to find a young women with striking red hair in a rather unique half-messy, half-neat style. The bespectacled nin looked at Tsunade in a mixture of annoyance and concern. " Damn it took me awhile to get up here. Damn snail." grumbled the red head.

"It's a slug." deadpanned Tsunade.

"Don't care. Anyways I know what your thinking and don't worry about it Tsunade-sama. Naruto-kun is more of a match for that old coot."

" Who the hell are you."

"Ah just call me Karin, I'm a friend of Naruto's. Now enough with the questions if I don't take care of you Naruto-kun's gonna be mad at me." The slightly odd red head then began to eye both Tsunade and a stunned Shizune critically. She then used a quick diagnostic medical jutsu ignoring the questioning looks from her patients. " Well hell, you don't look to bad for having fought off a sannin and so many anbu. You Tsunade-sama should be fine with a food pill for energy and a soldier pill for the chakra exhaustion. As for you…"

" Shizune." answered the dark haired medic nin.

"Well for you aside from some deeper cuts and burns you in the same boat. A food, soldier and maybe a blood pill and you should be fine. Why are you two just sitting around injured?"

" I don't like you tone girly. This just happens to be the first break we've had so don't act so high and mighty besides…" The blonde sannin trailed off.

" Besides what?" demanded Karin curtly not really liking being spoken to like a child.

" We don't have any god damn pills. "

" How the hell does the master of modern med nin theory and her sole apprentice not have something as basic as that!?"

" We haven't carried a medic kit in over two and a half years. Having your child taken away from you by the few people you dared to trust makes you look at the more combat oriented parts of being a ninja." Tsunade's tone had gone from annoyed to hurt in but a second. Karin's only reply was to hand the two injured nin her medic kit and watch as they made use of it.

The group's attention was drawn to the battlefield when a massive growl was heard. They looked to find Gamabunta's massive form favoring his left torso as a tail of the Kyuubi had snuck through his guard and sliced him deeply. The two combatants stared each other down a passive Naruto atop the growling Kyuubi, and a frowning Jiraiya atop a wincing Gamabunta.

" You said you're a friend of Naru-chan's…is it really ok to just sit here? I mean he may be a bastard but Jiraiya is or at least was the strongest of us sannin?"

" Ah that's just your maternal instincts making you worry. No one really knows how strong Naruto-kun is but he's more than enough to scare Orochimaru stupid. That's got to count for something." Karin flinched at the shot of killer instinct from Tsunade.

"So you're a sound nin huh? One of Orochimaru's cronies? What are you doing with my son?"

" Calm down. Not the trusting type huh? Rest assured that my loyalty is to Naruto-kun and only Naruto-kun. You know how many times that snake bastard has threatened me about what'll happen when my 'usefulness' has run it's course? I've had to do some horrible things to some perfectly innocent people in order to not become breeding stock for one of his freaky ass bloodline wielders. It wasn't until Kyuubi got Naruto-kun to fillet one of the freaks I was 'given' to that the snake left me to my own devices. I owe them much." Finished the red head. Before Tsunade could respond the earth shook as the massive form of the Kyuubi sprung at Gamabunta. The toad avoided the attack as it had previously, by taking to the air.

"**Foolish!" **snapped the Kyuubi. Instead of following her opponent into the air she darted towards the area in which the toad boss would land. "**Die!"** hissed Kyuubi as all nine of her tails lanced towards the descending amphibian.

"**Fuck. Sorry Jiraiya**." grumbled the toad boss as his gargantuan form dispelled into nothing more than a massive plume of smoke seconds before being skewered. Unfortunately for Jiraiya this left him with no option but to brace for the impact of the fall. And what an impact it was, dust and dirt kicked up into a veiling cloud, as bones that had been broken or fractured by his earlier battle with Tsunade exploded into a whole new level of pain as he rolled to a stop on the ground.

He looked around frantically trying to garner his whereabouts as fast as his pain hazed mind would allow. The small cloud of dust from his impact was now joined by the murky remnants of Gamabunta's dismissal. It was then that something clicked inside the toad sannin's mind, he couldn't see the massive form of the Kyuubi, anywhere. Before he could ponder upon the situation a random blur shot into his dust obscured field of vision, seasoned instinct was the only reason he was able to dodge a strait thrust kick to the face from Naruto. Time froze for a second as Jiraiya looked into the eyes of his godson to find no hint of any recognition. It wasn't the same little brat that used to run around screaming Jiraiya-ji anytime the toad hermit visited Tsunade all those years ago. No, this was an extremely powerful shinobi that viewed Jiraiya as nothing more than another enemy, and as much as Jiraiya understood why, he couldn't help but feel the least bit hurt.

Jiraiya steeled his nerves as he grasped the outstretched leg of Naruto and swung him into the ground only to have his vision obscured even further by the puff of smoke 'Naruto' disappeared into. This brought Jiraiya even further on guard, an assault of clones would be extremely difficult to handle with such poor visibility. Jiraiya reached into the hidden pocket of his vest to draw two kunai and assumed a defensive stance as he waited.

Dust swirled around him, the grey veil that he would normally use to his advantage now hindered the toad sannin. He then heard them, the slightly rushed taps of foot steps. He tensed, the world falling silent compared to the near silent thunder of the foot steps. Then it all stopped. Complete silence was expected and was exactly what was received, that was until Jiraiya whipped around to slice the neck of a clone that had been within a foot of him. As if the clone's dismissal was some kind of signal, the assault started. Jiraiya dipped and dodged the clones that came at him. Showcasing the hand to hand ability one would expect from a warrior as heralded as the sannin were. Jiraiya realizing that all the clones sent at him where shadow clones took to lighter less committed counter attacks at his assailants. Only damaging them enough to disperse them before moving on. Jiraiya's momentum came to a halt however when the Naruto that appeared in front of him only grunted as Jiraiya shoved a kunai deep into his shoulder. It was only when a thunderous kick to the gut sent Jiraiya shooting out of the murky cloud that the toad sannin realized that the clone wasn't a clone but indeed the real Naruto.

As he lifted himself off the ground Jiraiya winced as an increase in pain signaled either an increase in the amount of broken ribs or at least an increase in the severity of the ones Tsunade had already given him. Jiraiya's attention soon sharpened as Naruto walked slowly out of the cloud, stalking Jiraiya. He wasn't alone however, walking sedately behind him stood one of the most beautiful women Jiraiya had ever seen, and while he had never met her the fox ears that poked from her fiery red hair and the nine tails that billowed behind her gave the sannin a pretty damn good clue as to her identity. Kyuubi smirked as Jiraiya's attention focused on her and Naruto dashed at the toad sannin, Kyuubi following directly behind him. Jiraiya drudged up enough chakra to send to grand fireballs at the two, only to have both of them evade them like child's play.

The duo attacked in perfect harmony, a duet between Naruto's direct and forceful attacks and Kyuubi's agile, and quick strikes. Even their tales worked in sync to trip, whip, slice and stab the toad sannin. Still Jiraiya proved to be as cunning and elusive a ninja as he was said to be. Dodging most of the major debilitating blows and willfully taking the lighter strikes to help stay alive. It broke down into a clash of masterpieces, Naruto and Kyuubi showcasing the strength of teamwork, and Jiraiya putting on a clinic in evasion and defense.

Jiraiya masterfully ducked under a roundhouse kick from Naruto before barely managing to leap over a leg sweep. As he was in the air however he was met with a thunderous flying knee into the chest of Jiraiya sending him sprawling to the ground. Jiraiya rolled out of the way of a stomp from the Kyuubi and into a low kick into his already battered ribs from Naruto. This time Naruto used the strength that Jiraiya had heard about from the reports of the wave country jounin and as a result the toad sannin was sent sailing through the air. He wasn't allowed to land as in a showcase of speed Naruto appeared under him and with a kick sent him flying vertically away from Naruto. The toad sannin looked down dazedly as the Kyuubi ran up from behind Naruto and using the boy's back as a spring board launched herself into the air after him. Panic gripped him as on her way up she drew to steel fans from her kimono, in a blur his chest exploded in pain as she passed him by. Jiraiya fell to the ground blood flowing freely from to vicious slashes across his chest.

Jiraiya cringed in pain as he tried desperately to pull himself up. As he heard the dull beat of heavy footsteps he looked up to find Naruto approaching quietly. Jiraiya's mind instantly clouded with scenarios and options on what to do. He needed to end this now, he wasn't going to last much longer. In the end it was with almost numb resignation. That he drudged up the last remnants of non vital chakra he had in him. Hidden behind his crouched body his right hand became alight with power, a grinding sound began to come alive. Inwardly Jiraiya cursed himself for not only what he was about to do but, the technique he was going to use to do it. He could only pray that his favorite student wouldn't hate him too much. With a sudden rush of adrenaline he charged on a unsuspecting Naruto. "Rasengan!" As Jiraiya thrust the grinding ball of chakra at his godson he felt his feet taken out from under him. He looked down to find Naruto's tails whipping out wildly. As he fell forward Jiraiya did his best to still hit his target and was answered with the sound of tearing flesh and an angered hiss of pain. He looked up to find that he had indeed hit Naruto, but had missed his intended target of the boys heart. Instead he took a good fist sized chunk out of Naruto's side.

Naruto only glared down at his godfather. The same man who had truly just attempted to kill him because Konoha wanted him to. That village was really starting to piss him off. He whipped his tails around wrapping them around Jiraiya's arms and legs before holding the man mid air in front of him. The pain of the Rasengan wound doing little to actually effect his concentration. He looked at the mans defeated look before holding his own hand out in front of him slightly. "Rourou Taru Kaminari (Resonant Thunder)!" With a snap of Naruto's fingers The clearing was filled with a deafening sonic boom The ground beneath the two combatants quaked, behind Jiraiya trees were toppled and ripped from the ground..

Jiraiya was blown out of the grip of Naruto's tails and driven back by the thunderous blast. Rolling to a stop on the ground disoriented in pain and on the verge of unconsciousness. He was not allowed to even think of his next action this time however as an explosion of pain in his shoulders, hands, thighs, and feet made itself known and all motion stopped abruptly. Jiraiya looked around to find himself staked to the ground by eight fox tails belonging to a slowly approaching Naruto.

It was now that Jiraiya's doubts raged in his mind, he should have ran. What the hell had he been thinking, trying to fight Naruto mere moments after he had fought Tsunade. Now here he was to low on chakra to really do any technique of real use, and in too bad a physical condition to try to soldier on. He was probably going to die here, and what's worse he had failed spectacularly. Not only had he failed to obtain Tsunade, but now Naruto knew that Konoha wasn't going to leave him alone. He had also given his godson all the reason needed to go bring Konoha to it's knees. He was shaken from his thoughts when said godson finished his approach glaring balefully at the man he had at his mercy. " You don't learn do you? Konoha never learns. Even when I leave them alone my very existence is seen as a threat."

"Naruto-"

"Silence!" snapped Naruto as he stomped on the left knee of Jiraiya, his enhanced strength shattering the joint into mere pieces. Naruto waited quietly for the blood curdling screams to finish tearing their way from the older man's throat. " I don't want to do this Kyoufu. I dislike fighting. But the village you hold so dear just couldn't leave me be could they? It's ok though, it's all going to be just…fine!" Naruto roared as he stomped on the other knee of Jiraiya. Again after the cries of pain ceased he spoke in complete calm. " I'm not a monster. And to prove that to you and to them I'm not gonna kill you. No matter how much I should." growled the blond as he stomped in the middle of Jiraiya's lower leg snapping it like a twig. Before calmly doing the same to his other leg eliciting another round of pained screams. "Now. As much as I should burn Konoha to the ground I'm not I still have at least a handful of people that I can't bring myself to sadden. So to be fair I'm going to give Konoha a chance. I'm going to give you a chance. You let them know. If they leave me alone I'm sure we can co-exist, if they don't…I'll write Konoha a requiem for the ages. Three chances Kyoufu. Only. Three." Naruto stomped on the thighs of Jiraiya to accentuate his words, causing more devastation upon the man. " Pleasant dreams Kyoufu." stated Naruto as he stepped forward and punted the toad sannin in the face awarding him merciful unconsciousness.

Naruto Looked down upon his adversary before weaving a weary sigh. A slight disturbance in the air around him and the slight flare of familiar chakra signatures alerted him to the presence of Kyuubi and Karin who appeared behind him. "Karin. Heal him to the point that he'll live. Don't numb any pain. After wards take him into town, no sense in leaving him helpless out here. Besides if he died then Konoha wouldn't get their message. Afterwards meet us back at the inn."

"Hai." answered the medic crisply. As she moved to drag Jiraiya into town she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to find Naruto bowing his head in respect to her.

" Thank you. For everything." stated the blond fox demon softly. Karin immediately felt a veritable inferno rise in her cheeks.

" No problem Naruto-kun!" Karin half chirped half squealed before setting off on her task.

A thunderous popping sound alerted Naruto to the dismissal of Katsuyu and most likely the approach of his kaa-san and nee-chan…no…the approach of Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san. It hurt so much to correct himself but the vision of his mother's…Tsunade's hateful glare at his new demonic heritage wouldn't let him hope of having his family again. Behind him he heard Kyuubi unleash a growl, he turned to find Tsunade and Shizune approaching slowly. Their saddened and concerned expressions being matched by his own unreadable visage. The silence consumed the clearing. Hesitantly Tsunade took a step forward. "Naru-chan." He flinched at her moniker for him, unbidden warmth swelled within him.

"Tsunade-sama." stated Naruto bluntly causing Tsunade to flinch. It hurt, despite the fact that she knew it was her own failure to control her emotions that caused the misunderstanding. "I'm sorry you had to see that Tsunade-sama." Naruto rolled up his sleeve and with a nip to his thumb ran his finger over a seal on his arm. In a poof of smoke the form of Raijin was in his hands. " I believe this is yours." Tsunade was thrown off a bit by the appearance of her great uncle's weapon, but it wasn't important at the moment.

"Naru-chan I know what your doing but it was all a misunderstanding I could never hate you." her declaration was met with but a blank stare. Realizing that see wasn't making any leeway in reclaiming her child, unbidden tears sprung in her eyes. " Aiji (Beloved Child) please." The words again bathed him in unbidden warmth but Naruto held firm. He wasn't going to be betrayed by the notion of 'family' again so easily. Hardening his stare he dropped the Raijin to Tsunade's feet.

Kyuubi could sense no lies in Tsunade's words but one look at Naruto let her know that he wasn't exactly willing to keep faith. Seeing him drop the Raijin and the look of resignation in his eyes she sighed. He was doing it again, he was going to avoid the situation and flee. It was one of her love's true faults, for being such a monster on the battlefield, he truly avoided conflict to the best of his abilities. Any kind of conflict no matter importance, size, or necessity. A sad trait for someone who's life was destined for adversity.

" Don't burden yourself with false niceties Tsunade-sama. It's o.k. I understand that caring for a demon vessel and caring for a demon are two different things." Naruto's voice sent a spike of pain through Tsunade. He didn't believe her. Of course he wouldn't. She had abandoned him once. And she was pretty sure that he had been betrayed many times by spiteful members of Konoha. Still as he turned to walk away from her, Tsunade couldn't not shake the super imposing of her nightmare onto the scene. Her child was walking away from her again. Not because he didn't recognize her, not because of manipulative shadows, but because of a misunderstanding of her own folly. Shucking away all doubts and fears Tsunade acted, no matter what would happen in the future she knew of the one thing she wanted and that was her child.

Naruto turned to walk away already burying any lingering doubts and affections within himself. His dive into denial was halted as two warm arms wrapped around him and with enough force to knock him of his feet he was pulled into the chest of Tsunade. "Let go." came the demands from Naruto as the warmth that he had tried to bury sprung forth. As much as he hated it, he needed this warmth it was a drug of the highest caliber. Naruto's curt demands soon softened into tiny pleas for release. And soon he said nothing as Tsunade began to rock him gently in the embrace. Soon words that forcibly dragged Naruto back to a period of innocence and hope that he had not had since early childhood spilled from her lips.

"Never again. I'll never let go."

* * *

**This chapter is extremely rough and not nearly as polished as I would have liked. But I really wanted to get something out for you guys. I havn't been around due to a death in the family. And my family was drastically effected. Expect for updates to become sporadic at best for awhile. I hope this chapter proves to be something to get you by. Take care.**


	13. In the Art of Lamentations

**AN: Yo! It certainly has been awhile. There are many reasons for the delay: Familial deaths, Financial and emotional deppressions. Health woes. Technical difficalties. Hurricanes...and so on and so forth. But in the end those are nothing but excuses. I hate excuses. I've probably lost some readers and I except that and to any I've angered I apologize. For those of you that have stayed Thank you and I hope this chapter serves as at least a start to making it up to you all. Now without further ado...**

**Ch.13 In the Art of Lamentations**

She really didn't know what she was expecting. For the briefest of seconds Tsunade had thought that Naruto would have a beautiful breakdown of his emotional barriers, return her embrace, and accept her as his mother like they had never been separated. She would admit it was a stupid thought, but hey, a women can dream. Instead after her declaration of determination to never leave him, her son had disappeared from her grasp. Never had she thought that empty space could cause so much pain. The only thing that had kept Tsunade from a complete and utter breakdown was some surprisingly kind and encouraging words from the Kyuubi.

* * *

**Flashback**

" Don't mind that. You should actually be very happy. After his emotions deserted him it took me years for him to have enough trust in me to allow me to hold him." stated Kyuubi softly.

" Why does he hate me." Tsunade's voice came out as nothing more than a pained whisper.

" He doesn't." Kyuubi answered bluntly.

" Then why shut me out?"

" It's his defense mechanism. I think your smart enough to realize that a life like his doesn't exactly allow someone to grow up with a trusting nature. The moment he saw the slightest indicator that you might betray or hurt him he put his guard up. A guard that, I'm sorry to say, even I haven't gotten through."

" Still, you don't know how discouraging it is." croaked a distraught Tsunade.

" Um, you try finding your soul mate in some one who has all the emotional empathy of your garden variety rock." grumbled Kyuubi. This of course caused Tsunade to blanch and a sharp gasp to escape from Shizune. It was one thing for Kyuubi to assist and ally herself with Naruto but for the former demon queen to have romantic interest in him was quite another. Tsunade's long suppressed but now storming maternal instincts, especially those dealing in her protectiveness came to the forefront in an instant.

"Hell no!" declared Tsunade bluntly, her harsh glare only matched a glare from the Kyuubi.

" Don't start that! You have no say in the matter, I love him and that's that. I'm telling you now for all our sakes don't interfere. I've been Naruto-kun's everything for the better half of a decade, don't think for one second that your gonna waltz in here and take me out of the picture. Hell if nothing else think about how much you coming after me will effect your reconciliation with Naruto-kun." With that Kyuubi and Tsunade engaged in a heated glaring match, and Shizune was treated to the first of what would become a series of stare downs between the two.

**End Flashback**

* * *

That had been three awkward and trying days ago. Tsunade and Shizune had been staying in the same inn with Naruto and company. For Tsunade it was such sweet torture as she was always within screaming distance of her son, yet the frigid distance the boy put up between them was beginning to become unbearable. Her sole salvation was the fleeting glances he would take of her when he thought no one was paying attention. She would fight temptation to shiver under his piercing gaze and put up a strong front. Her happiest moments were when he would call her Kaa-san subconsciously never noticing that he had. But still those happy moments were few and far between and despite her joy over their existence, she desperately wanted her son to call her mother, knowingly and whole heartedly. And every 'Tsunade-sama' that escaped his lips was just another reminder of the million miles between them.

If that wasn't enough, she also had to deal with the fact that Kyuubi, was closer to her son than she was. The logical part of Tsunade's mind was understanding of it, after all from what Kyuubi had told her the demon queen had been the only source of personal interaction and warmth for her son for quite awhile. However another part, a part that was stronger in Tsunade's emotional state, despised the idea, that the Kyuubi, the demon that was the very reason Naruto's life had been so horrible, would hold such a place in her son's world. Tsunade constantly fought a mental battle of reason vs. rage, in order to not do anything that she would regret.

A battle she nearly lost on the first night that the group had shared the suite. Tsunade being much too emotional and anxious to sleep, had been wandering around the suite. She was soon lured towards the room that Naruto had been staying in by the sounds of singing. As she had edged closer to the room her heart ached bitterly as she deciphered the song to be the lullaby she had used to calm baby Naruto. What drove the proverbial stake through her heart however, was the all too familiar voice that was serenading her son- it was her own. Tsunade had opened the door slowly to find Naruto being cradled in Kyuubi's lap as her spilled from the lips of said demon.

Tsunade saw red, indignant rage swelling up in her. Was that damned fox trying to replace her? Was all of the support, and "friendly" advice just a ruse too get Tsunade to let her guard down. All the while the vixen would slip her son's devotion and adoration away from her? No way in hell she would allow that to happen. Her fist clenched and she made to walk into the room. And in an instant, when the crimson eyes of the Kyuubi met Tsunade's chocolate orbs, apologetic sorrow swimming in the demon's gaze, Tsunade's rage quelled. Replaced by shame as the fog of anger cleared, and she was able to recognize the exhausted aura of the Kyuubi.

A silent message was passed in the gaze of the two women. Kyuubi didn't want to comfort Naruto by serving as a cheap imitation, she didn't want to be Naruto's everything. It was asking too much even for a legendary being. But more apparent was her desire for Tsunade to come and help carry the burden, for as damn heavy as it was, Kyuubi would die before dropping it. A small nod from Tsunade was the only indication that the message was received. And as she walked back to her own bed Tsunade's resolve was strengthened, she would be there, and she'd be damned if she was the one to let her son drop.

* * *

Two days ago a squad of ninja from Konoha that had come to investigate the battle, discovered and recovered Jiraiya. As expected the clash between the opposing forces had caused quite the sensation in both fire and tea country. Already rumors and stories swamped the two nations, not to mention the drowning of the town in which the incident occurred, in rumors. It was really how Tsunade had kept busy, simply wandering around the hotel, modifying her genjutsu to avoid detection from investigating shinobi, listening in on the varied stories around the conflict. Many fantastically false and some coming damn close to the truth. One of her favorites had to be the more outrageous tale of such a grand battle being a culmination of a love triangle. In which Tsunade was the kunoichi damsel stuck between an older admirer and her young lover. Never mind the fact that there had been titan sized animals and a legendary tailed beast present. Or the fact that Naruto at best looked to be the age of 14, though she would admit that in his demonic form his image did mature to his later teens. Tsunade always got a kick out of just how romanticized shinobi life was to non-shinobi.

She was knocked from her thoughts when an intense burning pain blossomed throughout her body and a bitter nausea worked it's way up from the pit of her stomach. She quickly ran into the bathroom of the suite she shared with the others, locking the door and quickly activating a silencing jutsu, she hunched over the sink and began vomiting copious amounts of water. All the while her body was ravaged by the same sensation she had felt three days ago as her strange savior's unique chakra charged through her body in volts. The porcelain of the sink was straining under Tsunade's ever tightening grip as tears began to pour from the eyes of the blond. Then as quickly as it happened the pain and nausea was gone. An exhausted blond fell to the floor, her breaths coming in desperate gasps. For three days she had weathered through such occurrences. She didn't know what was going on but she was desperate to keep it from the rest of the group. The last thing Tsunade wanted right now was to appear weak to a son that she hadn't seen in nearly a decade and was trying to determine whether or not to even except her as his mother. So far she had succeeded in her quest for secrecy though if the piercing gazes of the Kyuubi was any indication, said demon was beginning to suspect something.

As raised voices poured through the wall she quickly cleaned herself up and walked towards the voices. She found the source of the disturbance when she entered the main room of the suite. There, Karin stood nearly nose to nose with another red head, both shouting at each other in ever increasing decibels. Tsunade idly wondered if the two were siblings due to their bickering and apparently identical tempers.

" What the hell are you doing here anyway! Do you know how big a bitch fit Orochimaru threw when he found out that you were gone!" shouted the unknown red-head.

" Relax Tayuya-chan Naruto-kun was simply in need of my…services." replied Karin with a sultry smirk. A smirk that widened as the girl reddened in either anger or embarrassment.

" Look tramp just show me where the bastard is, it's important!" shouted the now identified Tayuya.

"Not with that attitude Ta-yu-ya-chan. All you'll do is piss him off." replied Karin in a teasing voice.

" Look Karin, I know you like to have your fun and fucking games but now really isn't the time! The damn hebi-teme is plotting something!" growled out Tayuya.

"Care to elaborate Tayuya?" cut in Naruto's monotone voice. The occupants of the room turned to find said boy leaning against the wall.

" Basically Orochimaru wants you out of the picture. He's planning an invasion of Konoha?"

" Is he nuts?" asked Tsunade incredulously. Tayuya turned towards the voice to find the blond sannin.

"Holy shit it's Tsunade!" yelled Tayuya pointing at the sannin as if she weren't real.

" Would you look at that she's getting more observant by the day! I'm sooooo proud!" gushed Karin.

"Screw you whore!" raged Tayuya her hand moving towards her holstered flute.

" Such language Tayuya! For shame!" scolded Karin mockingly.

"Enough." in an instant both girls were placated, as if Naruto's word alone could hurt them. Tayuya forgot about Karin, for the present anyway, and addressed Tsunade.

" You'd think so, but you know what the snake is like, he always has a plan. He's using the Chuunin exams as a cover. He's also poured honey in the ear of Suna to get them to join him. He's gonna find a way to get close to the hokage to kill him himself, then he figures after that there is no one even on his level. Except for maybe that perv Jiraiya. That's why I'm here, while rumors of the chaos around here are all over the place. All of them have a white haired man atop a giant toad, he sent me to come check out what had happened. Sounding real fucking pleased at the slightest possibility that someone took out the toad perv for him. Anyways like I said he wants to take out the old man himself and counts on having multiple summons and Suna's jinchuuriki reek havoc on the rest of the more combat ready resistance. After that the rest of the nin forces finish the mop up. All this is of course after he takes you out."

"Oh, and how does he intend to take me out?" asked Naruto, the tiniest hint of curiosity floating in his monotone.

" Basically me and the rest of the sound four are supposed to engage you with the help of the Suna container, supposedly if he's healthy Kimimaro will be in on it as well. He's counting on our teamwork, surprise, and the suna kid's power to overwhelm you."

"Why would he tell you though? He had to know that you would tell Naruto?" ask Karin.

"Actually no he wouldn't." came the voice of Kyuubi as she stepped into the room. Noticing the looks of interest she continued. " Think about the man your talking about. Orochimaru doesn't view his followers as people, more like chess pieces. He doesn't know or care about our lives and social circles. Any information he does have on his followers is through spies. And just how would he be able to spy on Naruto-kun? The spy would have to be skilled enough to get through both his and my demonic senses. They couldn't count on genjutsu because Naruto-kun would pick up on it in a second. The only ones in Oto who might have a chance at doing that are Kabuto and Orochimaru himself. And with Kabuto being Orochimaru's head Konoha spy, he wouldn't risk his life like that. Hell he probably doesn't even really know how strong Naruto-kun is, he's probably only guessing from the missions we've done. As far as who's friends with who, he probably is going off of what he had when he was training Naruto as his apprentice, that being that Naruto-kun's only friends were me and Kin."

" Well either way it makes no difference. It's apparent now that Oto has become too small for the both us to coexist." stated Naruto. Kyuubi only raised a slender eyebrow.

"You got a plan?" A cold smirk upon Naruto's face was her only answer.

* * *

In Konoha a weary and frustrated Sarutobi pinched the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to stem the pain of yet another headache. Inwardly he pined for the quite confines of his office and the soothing comfort of his tobacco. More shrill screams alerted him to the futility of not only the nose pinching but the pining as well. Currently he sat at his spot in the council meeting chambers as all but a handful of council members yelled and argued with each other, seeming to have fallen into the belief that the louder they screamed the more plausible each of their ideas would become. Poor deluded fools.

It had been a day since the group that he had sent to investigate the disturbance along the border had returned dragging the mauled form of Jiraiya. It had really just been affirmation of his original thoughts of what the disturbance was. The moment his eyes had fallen upon the broken body of his student, a swell of guilt consumed him. He had immediately summoned Inoichi Yamanaka to make use of his clans mind walking abilities to find out what had happened, as doctors had made it clear it was unlikely that Jiraiya would be conscious anytime soon. Needless to say the reports that the clan head had given him left the old leader stricken with worry and no small amount of grief. It was a safe bet that any chance at peaceful dealings with Tsunade and Naruto was now shot, and to make matters worse there was a good chance that Tsunade was now going to join up with Orochimaru if only to be with her son. He was brought from his thoughts by the incessant wails of the civilian councilors. "Hokage-sama! What do you plan to do? We need to know! What are you going to do?"

"What can I do? We have no choice but to heed Naruto's warnings." answered the aging kage.

" You can't be serious Hokage-sama! It's obvious we need to nip this in the bud. Send out hunter nin to bring back the demon's head." cried out another civilian council member. Apparently he was one of the minority of people who still considered Naruto the Kyuubi despite knowing of the boys heritage.

" You want me to risk a war with Oto for your petty hatred. I think not. Besides how do you wish to justify the attack? Everything the boy did was in retaliation for our own actions. To pursue the boy now would only smear our reputation more than it already has been."

" How is our reputation smeared? Our we not still the strongest shinobi village throughout the nations?" declared a civilian member of the council haughtily, missing the glares sent at him from the actual shinobi members. He was answered by an undignified snort from the Hokage.

" How isn't our reputation smeared. It's bad enough that the rest of the shinobi world is aware that the majority of this village's council bends over backwards to the whim of a mere boy simply because of his last name. But add to that, a whole village, not just any village, the "great" Konohagakure, a place known for it's strength and family/team oriented teaching philosophies, going after a child because he came to the aid of his mother. The strongest of shinobi nations going to such lengths to kill a child. A child whose warped views, may I remind you, were created due to our own ignorance and bigotry. As if we haven't shamed ourselves enough by disrespecting our Yondaime's wish and creating such a monster to begin with. Now you wish to hunt down the "beast" of our own creation when he has done nothing wrong. As we speak there is a summons from the Fire Lord himself sitting on my desk requesting a meeting over what has happened. It won't be long before the daimyos from all of the nations know about how our village treated not only Naruto but Tsunade as well. We're about to be shamed in front of the entire shinobi world and you wish to exacerbate it." The room was silent at the usually stoic mans diatribe.

" Why do you have to tell the fire lord anything? Or better yet simply tell him that the demon attacked Jiraiya-sama."

"Foolish man. The daimyo is always accompanied in such meetings by an advisor who is trained in the art of lie detection his entire life. Even a kage would be remiss to try to utter a falsity in the presence of said advisor. Not to mention the fact that even trying to lie to the daimyo is tantamount to an act of war." snapped Koharu at the idiocy of such a thing. Deep down she was relieved that Sarutobi was seeing reason and not trying to hunt down Tsunade and her child. She had feared that seeing Jiraiya in such a state would break her teammate's rationale. "Besides how do you wish to "kill the demon" as you put it. Must I remind you of the condition Jiraiya-sama, arguably the strongest loyal shinobi serving Konoha, is in after an encounter with the boy." The silence in the room was deafening, not much could be said no one wanted to hear the list again. It was disturbing enough the first time. All but one rib broken, both sides of his jaw were shattered, collar bone snapped, severe lacerations across the torso and arms, ruptured ear drums, severe damage to the kidneys and liver, multiple stab wounds indicative of impalement, and a severe concussion. Of course this wasn't to mention the down right demolition of the toad sage's legs, if, and it was a big 'if', the man ever walked again he would never achieve the mobility he once had. What frightened most was that the hospital staff's report had stated that Jiraiya had signs that he had been healed into the state that he was in, which meant the initial beating had been worse. Seeing no argument the aged women shot a glance at her kage teammate and received an appreciative nod in reply.

" That's what hunter nin are for! Just send them in mass!"

"Do you know the amount of casualties that will cause! I'm telling you right now, no member of the Inuzuka clan will accept such a mission!" snapped Tsume Inuzuka. Members of her clan made up roughly half of the active hunter nin corps, the more skilled half if one listened to popular opinion. No way she would watch her pack members for all intents and purposes commit suicide.

" Rest assured Tsume I would not ask much less force such a thing from anyone. In fact, let it be known that as of this moment Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto is to be ranked an SS-class threat in our bingo books. Any shinobi of Konoha are instructed to flee on sight in any circumstance in which they come into contact with him. Furthermore given the dangerous grounds we are on with the boy, any shinobi that ignores that order and engages Naruto will be charged with treason that is assuming the boy doesn't kill them. And you members of our esteemed council do not think that you are excluded from this. Any action that is taken that would raise the ire of the boy, including targeting Tsunade, who I'm pained to admit will be marked as an S-class missing nin, will be seen as treason and whoever set the action in motion will be executed. As it stands the moment Danzo is found he is to be put to death and his root members locked away." With that said the Sandaime rose from his seat and left the council chambers.

" Wasn't he the one talking about how bending to the will of a child would sully our reputation? This makes it seem like our entire village lives in fear of one child." stated the Kurama clan head.

" Hell, I don't know about you, but if I'm going to bend to the will of a child I'd rather it be one that I have genuine reason to. Besides, I for one am terrified of the destruction that could be wrought by that boy. " stated Akimichi Chouza.

" Just think about it. He really wouldn't have to do a thing. All he would have to do is loose the Kyuubi and it'd be that horrible day all over again." added Yamanaka Inoichi.

" Speak nothing of the fact that of the only two people skilled enough to possible seal the demon, one is currently incapacitated." droned Aburame Shibi.

"And what pray tell would we seal the Kyuubi in? With the way Naruto was treated no parent in there right mind would offer their child as a container. We've truly dug ourselves a deep grave." offered Hyuuga Hiashi. Koharu rose from her seat and made to leave.

" Yes we truly have. If we aren't careful it will be by our savior's hand that we are buried.

* * *

Tsunade stared blankly at her son. To say he had a plan was an understatement. The boy had obviously always been ready for Orochimaru to betray him. And as much as it made her queasy to admit it, it was obvious that a small part of Orochimaru's cunning and ruthlessness was indeed passed on through her child's studies. Never had she contemplated the slightest scenario in which she would willingly step foot in the same country as her serpentine team mate, and try as she might she couldn't help the small ember of guilt for joining up with him. A man whose openly proclaimed his desire to destroy the village of her ancestors.

As much as she despised the people in that village, nothing could erase the fact that her grandfather and great uncle had indeed been instrumental in building that village from the ground up. Still she had finally found her child, he may have been born of the union of Minato and Kushina, but he was hers. She'd have no problem letting the two know this should she ever meet them in the after life. The blood of the Uzumaki and Namikaze ran through his veins but by the blood of her ancestors he was as much a Senju as she was. At that thought Tsunade smiled warmly as she watched as Tayuya and Karin argued over some point or another in Naruto's plan as the boy and Kyuubi looked on quietly. Maybe it was time that the Senju name became synonymous with another village. After all, if everything worked out, sound was going to need a new hand to guide it, and what better hand than that of the new Senju. She was brought from her thoughts by a small burst of smoke were she had been observing her son.

She bolted to an upright position noticing that of all the occupants in the room only Kyuubi seemed unsurprised. "What the hell!?" Kyuubi seeing the question mirrored in the faces of Tayuya and Karin simply raised a disinterested eyebrow.

"What? It's a shadow clone. I'm sure you've seen one before."

" Since when has he been a clone!?"

" I dunno probably around last night."

" Where the fuck is my son Kyuubi!?"

" Where the hell do you think he is?" Tsunade's eyes widened in realization as to the most likely place her child was.

"Naruto."

* * *

"Naruto?" the name came out bitter from the lips of Sarutobi as he observed the boy as he sat in the chair behind the Hokage's desk. The boy himself did not even acknowledge the old man's presence, he continued the light drawing of his bow over the stings of his violin the light yet mournful melody floating about the room. Immediately the old man's disposition brightened. " How are you Naruto? I can hardly say that I expected to see you again."

" Cease the faux exuberance Sarutobi. We both know you are anything but happy to see me right now, and I assure you the feeling is quite mutual." At the narrowing of the old man's eyes the blond demon spoke again. "Don't even try to signal you guards Sarutobi, as you'll find they are quite unconscious."

" I assume you didn't come to chat Naruto."

" To put it simply. I want what is mine."

" I beg your pardon?"

" Don't play with me old man you won't like the results."

" Is that a threat?"

" It's a fact."

" You really think that you could defeat me? I'm afraid the power of the Kyuubi has gone to your head boy." Naruto didn't even flinch at the veteran ninja's cold tone.

" Think what you will. I ask you a single question though. Regardless of my ability to defeat you, or lack thereof , do you think your precious village could handle a kage level battle breaking out in the middle of it?" The wavering of the old man's glare was all the answer Naruto needed. " Give me my inheritance old fool. Keep the lands of my naïve father, all I want are the scrolls and monetary resources that are owed me."

" Simple greed Naruto?"

" Believe what you will."

" Either way, I can't just give Konohan property to a foreigner Naruto."

" Don't even try the 'Konohan property' bit old man. Maybe we should take this dispute to the fire lord. See what is stronger in right, my blood, or you sense of entitlement." Inwardly Sarutobi winced, it wasn't uncommon for disputes over clan and village rights to be decided by the daimyo, and as much as Sarutobi hated it, in this situation blood would win out over allegiance. Especially if the land of Rice's daimyo got involved. He couldn't even play the missing nin card as Naruto wasn't a ninja when he left, it was then that an idea struck in the genius mind of the "professor".

" I'm sorry Naruto but as per the terms of your father's will you obtained the rank of chuunin. We both know that you are beyond that but the law doesn't work on opinion. Officially, you weren't even a ninja when you left and judging from your lack of a hitai-ate you aren't an official ninja of Oto are you?" The ever small narrowing of the blond's eyes had Sarutobi grinning inwardly. He really did feel like garbage for further forsaking Minato's child but for the good of the village he couldn't let such valuable scrolls go, especially to a village with Orochimaru as it's leader. Make no mention of the Namikaze fortune. Naruto for one was miffed. Sure he could just go back to Oto and be given the chuunin rank but that would require Orochimaru's approval. The snake sannin wasn't stupid, never had Naruto asked or needed ninja certification, for the blond to request it would definitely hint at something. Besides it would throw a wrench in the snakes plans for Naruto's involvement in the chuunin exams, therefore it was impossible. However, the way that the old man had worded it…

" I see your point Sarutobi, and you can rest assured that I will earn the rank of chuunin at the upcoming exams." the blond finished with a small smirk. Sarutobi visibly winced, he hadn't really thought about it, but everything he had just said, did indeed shoot down any protest Konoha could have used to block Naruto from competing in the exams. He had no criminal record against Konoha, he wasn't ranked as a ninja over that of genin level and despite his power, as Sarutobi had stated the law and there for the rules only acknowledged ranks by official means. Sarutobi ignored the mental gamesmanship

" Is there anything else I can help you with Naruto?"

" Seeing as despite your best efforts I know the identity of my parents, I'd assume there was some sort of correspondence left behind for me. A fool or not from what I'm told my father was the sentimental sort."

" It pains me to hear you speak of your father in such a manner Naruto. Although it's understandable, surely your rational enough to understand the need of what he did. You shouldn't hate him for it." For the first time, the music that drifted through the room stopped. Silence thundering.

" I don't hate him Sarutobi…I simply think he was foolish, and idealistic. Besides he isn't to blame for my torture at the hands of the villagers."

"Well I'm glad to see you seeing rea-" Sarutobi was silenced by Naruto leveling a cold stare directly into the kage's eyes. The first eye contact between the two in over half a decade.

"You are." Sarutobi was treated to a level of pain that he hadn't experienced in his career as a shinobi. No blade or jutsu could possibly cause such a reaction, yet for all it's grandness it was so simplistic in design it was sickening. The pain of failure…or rather, the pain of having the consequences of your failure thrown right in your face. Whether it be razor edged words or a cold stare. " My father made me into a jinchuuriki this is true, but it's you who made me who I am today. My father didn't have any idea of how the villagers might react. In his naivety, he chose to place his faith in the villagers he had grown up with, the kind souls that he was greeted by every day of the week. But you…you had proof of the village's hate. Time and time again. Yet you refused to allow kaa-san to take me to freedom. You insisted on my staying in a place that despises me. Then you even had the nerve to help take my last shield away from me, you forced kaa-san away. The gall to act surprised every time I ended up in the hospital. To act disappointed on the occasions that I tried to defend myself. To discipline the few that would help me. And to top it all off…every time I lay in a hospital bed, you'd smile…smile and ask me to forgive them. Forgive! Be patient! They're only doing this out of pain! They're still hurting!" Naruto's breaths came heavy now, the relief of venting working it's ways through his veins. His shouts gave way to soft whispers again. " I was hurting too Sarutobi. But, I did forgive…time and time again…the only one I never forgave was you Sarutobi. Never." The blond's eyes fell away from his deadlocked gaze with his one time grandfather figure. Silence fell upon the occupants of the room. Unspoken words hanging around their necks like a noose.

" I'm sorry you feel that way Naruto, I truly am. Just know that I always had your safety in mind."

"Like announcing my heritage to the village and practically the whole world after I left. Do you know how many minds I had to alter and or destroy to keep Iwa away from me? How many genjutsus cast to keep higher ups in Iwa thinking that the son of Minato Namikaze is a myth, a mere intimidation tactic by Konoha." Sarutobi winced, it had been a mistake that much he knew. In his grief over the attack on Naruto and his subsequent kidnapping he had told the boys secrets…his status as a jinchuuriki, detailed reports on just how badly he was treated and finally his heritage. It was meant to instill shame and regret into the village, and it had for the most part, but not until after it was done did a grief stricken Sarutobi realize the effect of the news on Naruto.

"I realize I made mistakes, for which I can never make amends Naruto…but rest assured I've always had the best intentions. "

" The road to hell is paved with good intentions Sarutobi." retorted the blond. Sarutobi only heaved a weary sigh, before slowly and grimly walking towards his desk. The blue eyes of Naruto stayed trained on the old kage watching for any sign of foul intentions. Sarutobi slowly nipped his thumb and ran blood over one of many blood seals that kept his desk drawers locked. He pulled out an ornate storage scroll and with no fanfare whatsoever dropped it on the desk before Naruto. The boy himself simply nodded slightly before placing his violin back into it's case, retrieving the scroll and walking towards the balcony. The air of nonchalance that the boy used both annoyed and worried the old hokage. Turning his back on a kage was a foolish thing to do, yet Naruto did not come across as someone who was overconfident. As the boy neared the window the old kage's voice cut the silence one more time.

"You know Naruto…if things continue the way I fear they will…one day…I'll have to stop you." while reluctance hung heavy in his words, there was nothing grandfatherly about the Sandaime at this point. He was simply a ninja leader warning a potential enemy. Not pausing a second Naruto walked out on the balcony and jumped towards the crowded streets below, his appearance changing as he fell. Still his last words drifted into the office and into the ears of Sarutobi.

"One day old man…you'll die trying."

* * *

**AN: I had originally planned on leaving off here. But due to the obscene time between updates. And more so to those who constantly asked for updates on the stories status, who while sometimes annoyed me, also encouraged me that this was worth writing. I think I can manage a bit more.**

* * *

Tsunade sighed as she lay on her bed, time had seemed to drag on forever since learning of Naruto's venture into Konoha. Paranoid thoughts of all the things that could go wrong flooded her mind. She knew in a way that it was simply maternal protectiveness that was doing this to her, though knowing that didn't really help much as she was still constantly on edge waiting for her son to return. Her sole distraction was watching Shizune study every nook and cranny of a storage scroll. It had been a gift to Tsunade from Minato, a scroll that took from the premises of Kakashi's summon scroll, she used it to keep Tonton in when making journey's that didn't favor having her pet around. The blond's apprentice had been more than a little miffed at not being informed of the scroll's existence and all the times said apprentice had been stuck hauling around the swine in her arms.

A rush of what was becoming a now familiar pain and nausea broached her thoughts signaling another attack. As the attack began Tsunade warily eyed Shizune across the room. Shizune was probably the one person she couldn't let find out about said attacks, second only to Naruto. She may have been guilty of being mousy and timid at times but the short haired apprentice was fiercly protective of her master, especially if the threat to Tsunade's well being was Tsunade herself. With this in mind Tsunade gathered up as much composure as she could find within herself and calmly stood. With an iron mask of indifference and gritted teeth Tsunade tried to calmly excuse her self from the room only to fall to her knees as the pain sky rocketed to a new high.

In an instant Shizune was by her fallen master's side only to be blasted away by a burst of golden chakra. Her master's shriek of pain was the only thing that shook Shizune from the stupor the landing had left her in. Shizune leapt to her feet and approached her master again. As she approached the yellow chakra again lashed out, Shizune planted her feet and held her ground as it encompassed her. Only for her to share in Tsunade's misery as jolts of pain worked it's way through her body through seemingly every nerve. Her hellacious experience was cut short when she felt the hands of her master on her shoulders before she was launched away with a push. Shizune cried out in pain as she smashed her way through the door and into the main room of the suite. She landed in a bone jarring heap dazed via impact but still concerned for her master's safety.

As expected in a residence in which two trained kunoichi and a fox demon stayed, a near immediate response was mounted and the dark haired medic nin was soon staring up at the faces of Tayuya, Karin, and Kyuubi. She ignored Karin's attempts to start healing her, Tsunade being the only thing important at the moment. "Help her! Something's happening with Tsunade-sama! It's that chakra!" Her calls were unheeded as the oto kunoichi instinctively looked towards Kyuubi for orders. Said fox demon only narrowed her eyes towards the direction of the sannin.

"That chakra…I knew I felt it." Kyuubi turned towards her two makeshift squad mates. "Karin patch up Shizune and get her out of here. Tayuya. Would you be able to put up barriers on your lonesome. Specifically something to mask and contain sound and chakra?"

" Fuck, it won't be nothing unbreakable but yeah I can do it why?"

"Because if I'm right this is going to get very messy and very serious, very quickly. I'm going to lead Tsunade in here then you lock us in got it." A simple affirmative was given by the two girls as Karin disappeared with a struggling Shizune and Tayuya quickly summoned her doki and positioned them around the room.

* * *

Tsunade's breath came rough and shallow as she braced herself against her bed. The pain had completely encompassed her consciousness at this point, numb to anything but the misery. Well, that and the feelings, the rage and sorrow that had become a cyclone around her heart in days past now swelled to drowning depths. Dark and caustic thoughts raged in her mind and her logic was losing a battle to keep herself calm and in an instant, when "It" walked into her room, logic failed her. With what could only be described as a cross between a roar and cry the sannin crumbled into a ball as another wave of golden chakra encompassed her again. When the chakra receded a trembling Tsunade struggled to her knees, body still being rocked by pain.

"Oh Tsunade…"was all that left the demon queens lips at the sight before her. Formerly pale blond hair was now a deep dark golden blond with white streaks adorning it, her dual ponytails now stretched to just above the back of her knees. While maintaining her famed figure Tsunade had developed a lither, more slender frame. What could only be described as claws had sprouted from her hands. Chocolate colored eyes, where now gold in color, above them her seal matched the color change. . Tsunade's now golden orbs soon met the red eyed stare of the Kyuubi. And rage was all Tsunade felt.

It was her.

"Tsunade what happened?"

The demon.

" Why didn't you say anything?"

The one responsible for it all.

" You should have told me or Naruto-"

"You would have liked that wouldn't you!"

The one taking her son away from her."

"Just another reason to leave me behind!"

"That's not true Tsunade you know that." Tsunade's answer was a snarl of pain and rage at what her swirling mind told her, was the root of all her problems.

"No one…No one is taking Aiji away from me!" A thunderous roar sounded at Tsunade's declaration as the floor in front of the wayward sannin exploded. From the rubble burst forth what could only be described as monstrous thorn bearing branches. They raced their way towards Kyuubi tearing the room asunder, Kyuubi dispelled her initial surprise in just enough time to avoid being impaled by the branches. However, as she dodged more branches bloomed from the original shooting off in multiple directions, spearing random parts of the room and branching off even more. Kyuubi utilized every ounce of her natural agility and cunning to avoid being skewered but was still effectively driven from the room turned thicket. As she retreated into the main room she noticed Tayuya's doki in a triangular formation around the bulk of the room. A rumbling sound pulled her attention back to the door, or rather what was left of the door as thousands upon thousands of branches burst forth from Tsunade's room taking out an entire wall of the suite. Behind them a haggard looking Tsunade staggered in.

"What the fuck!" came Tayuya's cry from the far corner of the room.

" Never mind that do it you fool!" At Kyuubi's order Tayuya shook off the stupor and entered a long series of hand signs.

"Sanzaru no Shouheki! (Barrier of the Three Monkeys)" Immediately the three doki formed 'ram' signs as light blue energy burst forth from their beings. The energy stretched and morphed until it formed a triangular prism than encompassed most of the room, more specifically Tsuande and Kyuubi. Tsunade's features morphed into a sad expression, to the surprise of Kyuubi and Tayuya.

" So you show your colors now." Tsunade's voice both held both tremors of sadness and edges of rage, resembling that of an enraged angel or a lamenting demon. The sannin put on a truly betrayed expression. "You don't want me near him…why?"

"Tsunade get a hold of yourself! You know that isn't the case. You're under a lot of stress right now, that's understandable, but there is no plot, no plan, nothing."

" Lies! You've held your lot in life as his everything! You did your damnedest to replace me!" The branches ceased their attack on the room only to launch an all front offensive upon Kyuubi. Said demon queen could do little more than duck and dodge with every ounce of her ability to avoid being skewered. Even then it was only through the use of her tails and claws that she had not been impaled. After another close call Kyuubi jumped onto the ceiling of the room and charged towards Tsunade. Her charge was halted when as one the veritable forest that the room had become shot skyward crashing into the ceiling. It was but sheer luck that Kyuubi had avoided being run through, but that was the extent of her luck As she could not avoid being ensnared by said limbs and driven into the ground. Outside of the barrier as before Tayuya could even think to aid Kyuubi, limbs burst from underneath her position and rushed her into the wall. Tayuya incapacitated the doki and her barrier dispersed in a rush of smoke.

"Why are you taking him from me?" the sannin's voice was broken as she despondently stared at Kyuubi. Inwardly Kyuubi wondered if tsunade really had any control over the limbs as even in her calm state the room was run rampant on.Or even if Tsunade was even really aware of what she was doing.

"I don't."

"Stop lying to me. I saw you with my own eyes, heard you with my own ears, you wanted to replace me. You selfish demon. You're the reason his life was destroyed in the first place." Tsunade's cold calm whispers set Kyuubi's mind ablaze. Long since buried insecurities and wounds were slowly being reopened. " Everything was stripped away from him simply due to his association with you. And then you have the nerve to desire to be all he has left. You monster." Tsunade's now dead orbs stared straight through Kyuubi, searching for some unknown vindication from and unknown source. Kyuubi for her part did a commendable job at hiding most of the emotional wounds that the sannin had opened during her diatribe. Gritting her teeth as the limbs around her constricted even harder she glared at the sannin.

"I did what was necessary Tsunade. When all he wanted was a friend, I listened. When he needed the guidance of a sensei, I taught. And yes, I'll admit, when he needed the affection of a mother, I was there, and I gave him that." She ignored the pain that sprouted through out her body as thorns slowly bloomed from her bindings. " I love him Tsunade, and I did everything I could to ensure his happiness. Even if it did mean being a mere replacement." At this the thorn's stopped in their growth and in all actuality began to recede. Kyuubi looked up and was met by a teary-eyed stare from Tsunade. Just as the sannin looked to be ready to speak she cried out and fell to her knees clutching her head. The dark brown limbs disengaged themselves from Kyuubi, leaving her battered and bloody form on the floor as they again began to ravage the room.

"Why doesn't he love me? I-I want my son back. That's all, I just want my naru-chan back. I didn't want to leave him, I didn't have a choice, the looks were a misunderstanding…" the blond sannin continued to ramble, sobs racking her every word. She had curled into a ball of misery at this point, yet for the tranquility of such sadness the room still raged as the wayward branches continued to ravage the room.

* * *

This was the position blue eyes found her in. Babbling and sobbing, miserable and hurt. The room had been turned into a veritable forest by now. Self loathing and shattered dreams almost palatable in the air. And it hurt. And he knew why it hurt. Familiarity could be a painful thing, burying dredged up memories, his own self loathing boiled over. It was in excusable really. In his own cowardice of rejection he had put her through the same type of pain. And it was this thought that Naruto made his decision.

Tsunade lay on the floor pain still racking her body and in an instant it was repelled by warmth. She felt herself scooped up into someone's arms. Cracking her tear marred eyes open she found herself staring into the blue orbs of her son. Her tears began anew a few seconds later when Naruto cracked a small but inherently genuine smile, and pulled her into his own hug. "Kaa-san…my kaa-san."

**AN: Well there you guys go. Hopefully this is up to the same quality you've come to expect and I've come to demand. Once again I can only apologize so much for the delay and only promise to try to do better in the future. Take Care.**


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